Beijing and Manila blame one another | EUROtoday

NOTnew episode of tensions within the South China Sea. A collision happened on Sunday, December 10, between a Philippine boat and a Chinese coast guard vessel within the waters of the Spratly Islands. The two nations blame one another for the incident, a day after one other confrontation within the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines stated on Sunday that “Chinese coast guard vessels and Chinese maritime militia harassed, blocked Philippine civilian supply ships and carried out dangerous maneuvers.”

One of the 2 boats carrying provides was “rammed” by a Chinese coast guard vessel, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea stated in a press release. A Chinese ship additionally fired water cannons at two provide boats and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel that have been escorting the mission, the Philippine assertion added. This induced “severe damage” to the engine of one of many provide boats and broken the mast of the coast guard vessel, he stated.

China, for its half, accused a Philippine ship of getting “deliberately collided” with a Chinese coast guard vessel. On Sunday morning, 4 Philippine vessels “illegally entered” the waters of the Spratly Islands claimed by China, the Chinese coast guard stated in a press release, including {that a} Philippine vessel “disregarded [leurs] multiple and severe warnings […] “.

A hampered resupply mission

The Philippine vessel “suddenly changed direction in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, deliberately colliding with our Coast Guard vessel 21556 which was on a normal law enforcement route and causing a scrape,” they stated. the Chinese coast guard within the press launch. “The responsibility lies entirely with the Philippine side,” they stated.

The incident close to Second Thomas, an atoll within the Spratly Islands, got here a day after one other confrontation between Chinese coast guards who “impeded” three Philippine authorities boats resupplying with water cannons. Filipino fishermen close to the Scarborough Shoal, a reef managed by Beijing off the Philippine island of Luzon.

Hours earlier than Sunday’s incident, a civilian convoy of 100 Filipino fishermen set out on a journey that will take them by way of Second Thomas on a mission to produce distant outposts for Christmas. Organizers stated they have been “continuing the agreed route” regardless of this newest confrontation.

Relations deteriorated

Second Thomas Atoll is about 200 km from the Philippine island of Palawan and greater than 1,000 km from the closest large island and Chinese province, Hainan. A handful of Filipino troopers are stationed on a army boat, the BRP Sierra Madre, stranded in 1999 on the atoll, serving as an outpost and permitting the Philippines’ sovereignty claims to be asserted in opposition to China. Troops depend upon provide missions for his or her survival. One of their provide boats was in a position to ship its cargo on Sunday, however the one concerned within the collision needed to be towed by a Philippine Coast Guard vessel to Palawan, the National Task Force stated.

Manila and Beijing have a protracted historical past of maritime disputes within the South China Sea by way of which billions of {dollars} of products go every year. Relations between Manila and Beijing have deteriorated underneath President Ferdinand Marcos, who has sought to maneuver even nearer to his conventional American ally and push again in opposition to Chinese actions within the South China Sea.

Ferdinand Marcos warned final month that the state of affairs within the waters had grow to be “more terrible”. Last Sunday, the Philippines reported that greater than 135 Chinese ships have been investing within the Whitsun Reef, which the Philippines calls Julian Felipe Reef, about 320 kilometers west of the island of Palawan, calling their rising presence “alarming.” .

Beijing claims virtually all the South China Sea, together with waters and islands close to its neighbors’ coasts, and has ignored a global courtroom’s ruling in 2016 rejecting the declare with out authorized foundation. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam additionally declare a number of reefs and islets on this sea, some areas of which might include wealthy oil reserves.