30-8-2024 (BEIJING) In a dramatic escalation of maritime tensions, China has issued a stern warning to the Philippines, demanding the immediate withdrawal of its coastguard ship from the contested Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. This ultimatum comes in the wake of a daring helicopter resupply mission by the Philippine Coast Guard to its vessel anchored in the disputed waters.
The confrontation reached a new peak on Thursday when Manila confirmed that it had successfully airlifted supplies to the crew aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701). This aerial manoeuvre was necessitated by China’s persistent blockade of previous boat-based resupply attempts.
Gan Yu, spokesperson for the China Coast Guard (CCG), revealed that Chinese forces had maintained close surveillance of the Philippine helicopter during Wednesday’s airdrop operation. “Such risky behaviour by the Philippine side is highly prone to causing unexpected incidents at sea or in the air,” Gan cautioned in an official statement.
The Chinese official urged Manila to “immediately cease its risky actions as well as propaganda and hype,” and to withdraw vessel 9701 promptly. Gan warned of potential consequences, stating, “The Philippine side will be held fully responsible for all consequences arising therefrom.”
Echoing this sentiment, China’s defence ministry issued a parallel statement, with spokesman Wu Qian emphasising, “China is committed to properly managing differences through dialogue and consultation, but there is a limit to our patience.” Wu called for the Philippines to “take immediate action to remove its vessels and personnel from Sabina Shoal and restore it to an uninhabited and facility-free state.”
The Chinese defence ministry also took aim at the United States, accusing it of being “the biggest black hand stirring up the situation in the South China Sea” by encouraging and supporting Philippine actions.
This latest dispute is part of an ongoing series of confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coastguards over Sabina Shoal since April. The Philippines deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua, its largest and most modern coastguard vessel, to the shoal, where it has remained anchored. In response, China dispatched its own vessels, including the colossal 12,000-tonne CCG 5901, the world’s largest coastguard ship.
Sabina Shoal, known as Xianbin Reef to China and Escoda Shoal to the Philippines, is a part of the contested Spratly Islands. While it falls within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, China also lays claim to the area.
Recent days have seen multiple maritime incidents as Philippine attempts to resupply the BRP Teresa Magbanua were thwarted by Chinese forces. Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela reported that food supplies for the ship’s crew had reached “critical level” and accused China of using water cannons against a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel.
China, however, maintains that the Philippine vessel is fully capable of leaving the area independently, which would “solve the problems [of supplies] easily.” The CCG spokesman accused the Philippines of using “‘humanitarianism’ as an excuse to carry out ‘risky infringement’ of China’s indisputable” rights.
As tensions continue to simmer, the situation has drawn international attention. US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo, meeting with Philippine armed forces chief General Romero Brawner Jnr in Baguio, stated that American forces were prepared with a “range of options” to address increasing aggression in the South China Sea, if required to act jointly with their Philippine allies.
