15-12-2023 (MANILA) Amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, the Philippines is actively preparing for potential escalation scenarios, including the possibility of repelling Chinese forces attempting to board Philippine vessels, as revealed by a senior military official.
The bilateral relations between the Philippines and China have experienced a significant deterioration this year, marked by multiple collisions and standoffs near disputed areas in the South China Sea. The Philippines has accused China of engaging in aggressive, deliberate, and dangerous manoeuvres.
Alberto Carlos, Chief of the Philippines’ Western Command, stated in an interview with CNN Philippines on Wednesday (Dec 13) that the country is anticipating more coercive actions from China, short of an armed attack. Carlos highlighted potential actions such as ramming and attempts to board Philippine vessels, stressing that such actions would not be tolerated.
The mentioned scenario, Carlos explained, is part of the Philippines’ war games exercises and academic discussions on anticipating various actions that China might take. The Philippines summoned China’s ambassador on Tuesday to protest “back-to-back harassments” over the weekend, including collisions and the use of water cannon. China has consistently accused Philippine vessels operating in Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of trespassing in Chinese waters.
Growing concerns surround China’s coastguard and the presence of hundreds of Chinese fishing boats, which the Philippines perceives as militia forces. Carlos, responsible for defending the Philippines’ EEZ, stated, “We’re brainstorming this, we are wargaming this, and we are prepared for any contingency that will happen.”
China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a crucial route for over $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce. Despite an arbitral tribunal declaring these claims baseless, China’s territorial assertions extend into the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
