22-3-2024 (MANILA) The Philippine Coast Guard has accused a Chinese vessel of engaging in “dangerous maneuvers” to impede Filipino scientists from reaching a reef within the Spratly Islands archipelago. The incident, which unfolded on Thursday near Sandy Cay reef, mere kilometers from the Philippine-held Thitu island, underscores the mounting friction between the two nations over their longstanding maritime territorial disputes.
According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela, a boat belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, carrying marine scientists, found its path obstructed by a China Coast Guard vessel that crossed its course, coming perilously close, within a mere 100 meters. The Chinese vessel reportedly sounded a siren for over 30 minutes, seemingly in an effort to draw the attention of “Chinese maritime militia” boats operating in the vicinity.
The China Coast Guard, however, offered a conflicting narrative, alleging that 34 Filipinos had “illegally” landed on the reef it refers to as Tiexian Jiao, while the Philippines recognizes it as Pagasa Cay 2. Chinese “law enforcement officers” subsequently arrived on the scene to “investigate and handle (the situation),” according to China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu.
Commodore Tarriela swiftly dismissed the Chinese account as “another lie coming from the Chinese coast guard.” He affirmed that the scientific team spent four hours at two reefs and successfully completed its mission, despite the presence of Chinese vessels and a Chinese military helicopter circling overhead.
The incident comes amidst heightened tensions between China and the Philippines over the strategic South China Sea, where China lays claim to nearly the entirety of the waterway, dismissing rival claims from countries including the Philippines and an international ruling that its assertion lacks legal basis.
An initial assessment of Sandy Cay and a second reef near Thitu by the scientific team led by University of the Philippines marine biologist Jonathan Anticamara revealed a concerning state of affairs. Anticamara reported that the fish and corals were in a “very poor” condition, and his team observed “unnatural” and “wide” piles of rubble taller than a person at Sandy Cay, though the origin of the rubble remains unknown.
The Spratly Islands have been a point of contention among several nations with overlapping claims, including China and Vietnam, who have transformed reefs into artificial islands, complete with ports, airstrips, and military facilities. However, China’s land reclamation efforts have outpaced those of other claimants, according to the US-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). AMTI estimates that since 2013, China has carried out “unprecedented dredging and artificial island-building in the Spratlys,” creating approximately 1,300 hectares (3,200 acres) of new land.
