22-10-2023 (BEIJING) China and the Philippines exchanged accusations following a collision in the disputed waters of the South China Sea on Sunday (Oct 22), as Chinese vessels blocked a Philippine boat attempting to supply forces in the area. This incident marks the latest in a series of confrontations between the two countries in maritime territories.
Over the past few months, China and the Philippines have had several encounters in various areas of the South China Sea, particularly focusing on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands archipelago.
The Philippines has been sending supplies to troops stationed on a deteriorating World War Two-era transport ship that functions as an outpost on the shoal. In response, China’s coast guard has repeatedly deployed vessels to obstruct these resupply missions.
During the incident on Sunday morning, China’s coast guard claimed that there was a “slight collision” between one of its ships and the Philippine boat. The Chinese coast guard asserted that it was lawfully blocking the boat from transporting “illegal construction materials” to the warship.
In a swift response, Manila condemned the actions of the Chinese vessel, denouncing the “dangerous blocking maneuvers” as a violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. The Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, representing Manila’s interests in the region, expressed strong condemnation of China’s “dangerous, irresponsible, and illegal actions.”
The United States voiced its support for the Philippines and criticized China for disrupting a legal resupply mission. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to declare solidarity with the Philippines in protecting its sovereignty and advocating for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Videos released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines show a Chinese coast guard vessel hitting a Philippine supply boat that’s on the way to the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. A Chinese maritime militia vessel also touched a Philippine coast guard ship, as shown in… pic.twitter.com/W5pLKAxBox
— Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) October 22, 2023
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines’ relations with Beijing have deteriorated, leading to an increased focus on military cooperation with Washington since last year. In May, the Pentagon announced its commitment to protecting the Philippines in the event of an attack on its coast guard anywhere in the South China Sea.
China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. However, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China’s claims had no legal basis.
Just last week, the Philippine military demanded that China cease its “dangerous and offensive” actions following an incident where a Chinese navy ship shadowed and attempted to intercept a Philippine navy vessel during a resupply mission.
China had previously warned the Philippines against further “provocations,” stating that such actions would violate its territorial sovereignty.
Sunday’s collision occurred during a routine resupply mission of a boat contracted by the Philippine armed forces, according to Manila. The task force expressed concern that the “provocative, irresponsible, and illegal action” of the Chinese coast guard vessel endangered the safety of the Philippine boat’s crew.
China’s coast guard, in response, released a statement claiming that the Philippine vessel had disregarded repeated warnings, crossed the bow of the Chinese ship, and “deliberately provoked trouble,” resulting in the collision. The coast guard further accused the Philippines of seriously violating international rules on avoiding collisions at sea and jeopardizing the navigation safety of Chinese vessels.
The BRP Sierra Madre warship, grounded by Manila in 1999, remains stationary as part of the Philippines’ sovereignty claim over the Second Thomas Shoal, which falls within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
