“The Philippines protested against the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous maneuvers, use of water cannons and other aggressive actions by Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels against” Philippine government vessels, the statement said.
Manila said it had summoned Zhou Zhiyong, the number two official on the Chinese Embassy in Manila, over the April 30 incident that damaged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) boat in near the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shallows.
“China’s aggressive actions, particularly the use of water cannons, caused damage to PCG and BFAR vessels. The Philippines has requested that the Chinese ships leave Bajo de Masinloc and the surrounding area immediately,” he said, using the Filipino name for the shoal.
What a second Trump presidency could mean for the Philippines and the South China Sea
What a second Trump presidency could mean for the Philippines and the South China Sea
The Philippines said the pressure during Tuesday’s water cannon incident was much greater than any pressure previously used and that it caused metal parts and equipment on Philippine ships to tear or bend.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday’s diplomatic protest was the 20th filed by Manila this year and the 153rd since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came to power in mid-2022.
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Manila and Beijing have a long history of territorial disputes in the South China Sea, including several collisions involving Philippine and Chinese ships in recent months, as well as the use of water cannons by the Chinese Coast Guard.
The latest incident occurred near the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal, which has long been a potential flashpoint, during a mission to resupply Filipino fishermen.
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters that China’s coast guard had taken “necessary measures” against Philippine ships that violated Beijing’s territory.
The measures were “lawful and the way he handled the situation was professional,” Lin said, according to transcripts released by the Chinese embassy in Manila.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, fending off competing claims from other countries, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its claims have no legal basis.
Inflation worries Filipinos more as Marcos focuses on South China Sea: study
Inflation worries Filipinos more as Marcos focuses on South China Sea: study
The South Korean embassy in Manila also expressed concern about the water cannon incident.
“The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines is concerned about the recent dangerous maneuvers and use of water cannons against Filipino vessels near the Scarborough Shoal,” the diplomatic mission said in a press release on Wednesday.
“We reiterate the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea, which is a critical sea lane of communication for all countries that use it.”
Tuesday’s incident got here because the Philippines and the United States held major annual military exercises that enraged Beijing.
