On Monday, amid tensions rise in the South China Sea, the Philippines’ Defense Secretary underscored the nation’s dedication to enhancing its military capabilities to prevent armed attacks. This statement came in response to a recent incident where a Philippine vessel was rammed by Chinese ships in the disputed waters.
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Tensions Rise in the South China Sea
The incident involved the ‘BRP Datu Sanday’ (MMOV 3002), a vessel from the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The ship encountered “aggressive and dangerous maneuvers” by eight Chinese Coast Guard vessels while navigating between Hasa-Hasa Shoal and Escoda Shoal, as reported by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The Chinese vessels‘ actions were reportedly aimed at obstructing the Philippine ship’s humanitarian mission, which was to deliver diesel, food, and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
Both Hasa-Hasa (Half-Moon) Shoal and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal are claimed by the Philippines as part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The task force condemned the unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions of the Chinese vessels, highlighting the significant risks posed to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were assisting.
“The BRP Datu Sanday was assigned by People’s Opportunity Equipped power Maritime power transport 626 and a couple of China Coast Gatekeeper ships, which tried to encompass and block the supportive mission,” the group communicated.
Philippine authorities also claimed that the Chinese Coast Guard vessels aimed water cannons at the ‘BRP Datu Sanday,’ causing its engine to fail. However, the Philippines National Task Force dismissed allegations that Filipinos fell overboard and were subsequently rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard after the ramming incident.
Speaker Ferdinand Romualdez of the House of Representatives expressed deep concern over China’s “increasingly aggressive” actions.
“By and by, we denounce in the most grounded terms these careless and risky moves by the China Coast Guard against our vessels,” Romualdez said, as refered to by the PNA.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., when asked by reporters in Manila whether the Philippines and its military ally, the United States, should consider the latest incident as an armed attack, ranswered, “You know, that is mixing everything up. Let us focus on deterring an armed attack. That’s the most important thing here.”
He added, “That is the very thing I’m zeroing in on. Everyone is too focused on the possibility of an armed attack. We need to make ourselves strong enough so that it doesn’t happen.”
The United States, which has a long-standing defense treaty with the Philippines, reaffirmed its support for Manila. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson denounced the episode, expressing, “Hazardous, unlawful, and forceful direct by the PRC upset a lawful Philippine mission, imperiling lives — the most recent in a progression of perilous activities by the PRC.” She concluded with the hashtag #FriendsPartnersAllies.
The Philippines and the United States have a seven-decade-old Mutual Defense Treaty, under which both nations pledge to support each other in the event of an external attack.
Japan also voiced its concerns, with Ambassador Endo Kazuya posting on X that Tokyo opposes any actions that increase regional tensions or endanger lives.
“Another unacceptable development around Sabina Shoal. Harassment and actions that escalate tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are intolerable. Maintaining a standards based global request and sticking to responsibilities should win,” the Japanese Envoy’s post read.
On Sunday, Jonathan Malaya, Assistant Director General of the Philippines National Security Council, stated that Manila remains firm in asserting its rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Ocean (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Honor.
The recent clashes between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea have centered around control of the Second Thomas Shoal. On August 19, Chinese Coast Guard vessels deliberately collided with two Philippine boats.
In a separate incident on August 22, Philippine authorities reported that Chinese military aircraft launched flares from a militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef during a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Flight conducted by the BFAR.
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