A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship and an accompanying vessel rammed a Philippine coast guard ship and a military-run supply boat Sunday off a contested shoal, Philippine officials said.
A top security official anonymously told the Associated Press that no injuries had been reported among the Filipino crew members and the damage to both vessels was being assessed.
The official added that the incidents occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, where China has repeatedly tried to isolate a Philippine marine outpost, and that the face-off could have been “worse if the vessels were not able to manoeuvre rapidly away from the Chinese ships.”
China’s Comments
The Chinese Foreign Ministry reported in its own statement that two civil vessels and two coast guard vessels of the Philippines had “intruded the waters of Ren’ai Jiao in China’s Nansha Qundao… without China’s permission.”
It further stated that the vessels disregarded warnings of the CCG and “went headlong towards Ren’ai Jiao’s lagoon and bumped dangerously with the CCG ships conducting law enforcement on the scene and the Chinese fishing vessels having normal fishing activities there.”
In response, the CCG “took necessary law enforcement measures… in accordance with domestic and international law to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.” The Ministry added that “the action it took on the scene was professional and restrained.”
It also stressed that Ren’ai Jiao is part of China’s territory and accused the Philippines of illegally grounding its warship in the region.
The Ministry went on to say that even though the Philippines “explicitly promised several times to tow away the military vessel… 24 years have passed” without action.
“Instead of towing it away, the Philippines has sought to repair and reinforce it on a large scale in order to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao. China has shown extraordinary restraint and patience,” it underscored.
Accordingly, Beijing urged Manila to “honour its promise, stop stirring up trouble and making provocations at sea, stop making dangerous moves, stop groundlessly attacking and slandering China and tow away the illegally “grounded” warship as soon as possible so that the peace and stability of the South China Sea will not be jeopardized.”
Philippines Vessels Get Rammed by Chinese Coast Guard in Disputed Maritime Area
No injuries have been reported among the Filipino crew members, and the damage to both vessels is being assessed.
October 23, 2023
IMAGE SOURCE: SKY NEWSA Chinese coastguard ship bumped a Philippine coastguard vessel and a military-run supply boat in disputed waters of the South China Sea.