China warns the Philippines against “escalation of situation” within the South China Sea
China warns the Philippines against “escalation of situation” within the South China Sea
China claims almost your entire South China Sea as its own, including the Second Thomas Bank, which is inside the Philippines’ 200-mile (320 km) exclusive economic zone.
Beijing and Manila have long had maritime territorial disputes within the South China Sea, and in recent months there have been frequent confrontations between their ships near the disputed reefs.
“They are the ones who entered our territory,” said Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro.
They are those who’ve entered our territory… they see it as a method to use force, intimidate and intimidate the Philippines
“No country believes [their claims] and they see it as a way to use force, intimidate and trick the Philippines into their ambitions.”
The latest incident occurred Saturday near Second Thomas Shoal within the Spratly Islands during an everyday Philippine mission to resupply Filipino troops stationed on the grounded navy ship BRP Sierra Madre.
The Philippines said the China Coast Guard blocked a supply ship and damaged it with a water cannon, injuring three soldiers.
The China Coast Guard defended its actions, describing them as “lawful regulation, interception and expulsion” of a foreign vessel that “attempted to forcibly enter” Chinese waters.
On Monday, Manila expressed “strong protest against the aggressive actions taken by the China Coast Guard and China Maritime Militia against the rotation and resupply mission undertaken by the Philippines in Ayungin Shoal,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said, using the Philippine name for Thomas’ Second Shoal.
It said the Philippine Embassy in Beijing had also lodged an identical protest with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“In these demarches, the Philippines stressed, amongst other things, that China has no right to be in Ayungin Shoal,” the foreign affairs department said.
“The Philippines demands that Chinese ships immediately leave the Ayungin Shoal area and the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.”
This is similar place where Chinese ships have launched water cannons and collided with Philippine ships in similar clashes in recent months.
China’s embassy within the Philippines said on Monday it had filed a grievance with Manila’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what it called the “illegal incursion” of the Southeast Asian country’s vessels into its waters.
“On March 25, the Chinese embassy within the Philippines solemnly stated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines regarding the recent illegal incursion of Philippine ships into Ren’ai Reef for resupply,” the embassy said in a press release on the social networking site WeChat, which uses the Chinese name Second Thomas Shoal.
Despite the weekend incident, Philippine authorities said the damaged ship and a Coast Guard escort vessel that got here to assist later dispatched rigid-hulled inflatable boats to deliver cargo and personnel to the ability.
The stranded Filipino soldiers continue to exist the crumbling BRP Sierra Madre and require frequent deliveries of food, water and other necessities, in addition to transportation when personnel rotate.
In addition to supplies and equipment, the Philippine military said six naval personnel were delivered to BRP Sierra Madre on Saturday, replacing one soldier who was recently evacuated for medical reasons.
The damaged supply boat and its escort sailed back to port after completing their mission, the duty force said.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
