30-4-2024 (MANILA) Tensions in the long-standing territorial dispute over the South China Sea have escalated once again, with the Philippines accusing China’s coast guard of harassing and damaging one of its vessels in the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal region.
In a statement issued on Tuesday (April 30), the Philippine coast guard vehemently rejected China’s claims of expelling two Philippine vessels from the strategic shoal, asserting that their ships stood their ground despite facing forceful water cannon attacks from two Chinese coast guard ships.
“This damage serves as evidence of the forceful water pressure used by the China coast guard in their harassment of the Philippine vessels,” said Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela. “They were not deterred and will persist in carrying out their legitimate operations to support Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety.”
The Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing ground situated close to major shipping lanes, has long been a flashpoint in the complex territorial disputes of the South China Sea. While no country holds sovereignty over the strategically located atoll, it falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
#Chinese coastguard vessels fired water cannons at a Philippine Coast Guard ships today at Scarborough Shoal, in the Philippine EEZ.
The PH ship was damaged. The Chinese also installed a 380-meter barrier at the entrance to the shoal. Via @jaytaryela pic.twitter.com/LVEuMMuj21
— Indo-Pacific News – Geo-Politics & Defense (@IndoPac_Info) April 30, 2024
China, however, has maintained an occupation of the shoal for over a decade, effectively restricting access to its lagoon, which has traditionally served as a sanctuary for vessels during storms. The recent incident marks the latest in a series of confrontations between the two nations in the contested waters.
Tarriela revealed that the Philippine vessel, the BRP Bagacay, sustained damage to its railing and canopy during the water cannon attack. Additionally, China has installed a floating barrier at the shoal’s entrance, further limiting access to the area.
Both countries have repeatedly traded accusations of illegal conduct in the region, with the Philippines recently summoning a Chinese diplomat to explain what it deems as aggressive manoeuvres. China, on the other hand, routinely accuses the Philippines of encroaching on its claimed territory.
While China and the Philippines have previously pledged to seek better communications and management of skirmishes in the vast South China Sea, tensions have been mounting in recent months as the Philippines strengthens its diplomatic and military ties with its ally, the United States.
China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a crucial shipping route worth over US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) in annual trade, have been challenged by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, all of which assert overlapping territorial claims. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s expansive claim had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has steadfastly rejected.
