17-9-2024 (MANILA) The Philippines on Monday reaffirmed its claim over a disputed South China Sea reef, following the recent withdrawal of a Filipino vessel from the area. The announcement comes amidst escalating tensions with China, which also lays claim to the maritime territory.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had deployed its flagship, BRP Teresa Magbanua, to Sabina Shoal (known as Escoda Shoal in the Philippines) in April. The vessel’s presence was intended to prevent China from constructing artificial islands in the area, a tactic Beijing has employed elsewhere in the contested waters.
However, the ship’s unexpected recall to Palawan, a western Philippine island, raised concerns about Manila’s commitment to defending its territorial claims. The PCG cited multiple factors for the withdrawal, including damage sustained in previous encounters with Chinese vessels, crew health issues, dwindling supplies, and adverse weather conditions.
Addressing these concerns, PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela firmly stated, “We have not lost anything. We did not abandon anything. Escoda Shoal is still part of our exclusive economic zone.” His comments aimed to dispel any notion that the Philippines had ceded control of the reef to China.
The South China Sea has long been a flashpoint for regional tensions, with Beijing asserting sovereignty over most of the area, including Sabina Shoal. This claim persists despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that deemed China’s territorial assertions legally baseless.
Recent months have seen an uptick in aggressive actions by Chinese vessels towards Philippine government ships in the disputed waters. These confrontations have included ramming, blocking, water cannoning, and even boarding Filipino vessels, resulting in damage and injuries. The escalating situation has raised alarm bells about the potential for armed conflict that could potentially draw in the United States, a military ally of the Philippines.
Tarriela revealed that Chinese harassment had severely impacted resupply missions to the BRP Teresa Magbanua. The ship’s water desalination system failed, forcing the crew to rely on collected rainwater for drinking “for more than one month”. He added that the sailors were reduced to “eating porridge for three weeks”, which he described as “obviously not nutritious”.
Following the Philippine vessel’s withdrawal, China’s coast guard boldly asserted Beijing’s “indisputable sovereignty” over Sabina Shoal. The Chinese statement warned the Philippines to “stop inciting propaganda and risking infringements”, and declared their intention to “continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities” in the area.
Tarriela, however, dismissed comparisons between the current situation and the 2012 Scarborough Shoal incident, where Manila effectively lost control to Beijing after a similar standoff. He insisted that the recent withdrawal from Sabina was “not a defeat” and emphasised that it would be “impossible” for China to completely prevent Philippine vessels from operating in the vicinity of the 137-square-kilometre shoal.
“The coast guard can carry out whatever it takes for us to make sure that China will not be able to occupy and even reclaim Escoda Shoal,” Tarriela asserted. He hinted at ongoing Philippine maritime presence in the area but refrained from providing specifics, citing operational security concerns.
The United States, a key ally of the Philippines, reiterated its support for Manila on Monday. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticised Beijing’s “dangerous” methods of enforcing its claims, stating, “It is up to the Philippines to decide how they operate their vessels in areas where it enjoys the freedom of navigation in the high seas under international law.”
Sabina Shoal’s strategic location, approximately 140 kilometres west of Palawan and roughly 1,200 kilometres from China’s Hainan island, underscores its significance in the ongoing territorial dispute.
