The Philippines has lodged a protest against China over what the Southeast Asian nation described as a “blockade” of a South China Sea shoal, while Beijing said actions in contested waters were justified.
(Bloomberg) — The Philippines has lodged a protest against China over what the Southeast Asian nation described as a “blockade” of a South China Sea shoal, while Beijing said actions in contested waters were justified.
The nation issued a diplomatic note asking China to explain while the Department of Foreign Affairs also summoned Beijing’s ambassador to Manila over Saturday’s incident when Chinese coast guard ships blocked and fired water cannons on the Philippine military’s re-supply vessels in the South China Sea, the country’s officials said.
“The Philippines demands that China immediately stop its illegal activities in our maritime zones,” Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Teresita Daza said at a live-streamed briefing on Monday. Carrying out such supply missions was within the nation’s rights and in accordance with international law, she said.
On Monday, the China Coast Guard defended its actions, saying that it issued verbal warnings before using water cannons. In a statement on its WeChat account, it said that it has exercised restraint, and that its actions were professional and justified. It also said that a Philippine military vessel has been “illegally stranded” in the shoal for more than two decades.
The incident took place as ships from the Philippines were on a routine troop rotation and resupply mission, its military said Sunday, adding a second supply boat was not able to unload its cargo due to the Chinese coast guard’s actions.
The latest encounter between Manila and Beijing in the disputed sea showed a “concerted effort” from China’s Coast Guard, Navy and maritime militia to “corral” Philippine vessels and prevent them from bringing supplies to a military outpost on Ayungin Shoal, National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya said at the same briefing.
“This looks like a blockade of the Ayungin Shoal,” Malaya said of the latest incident, adding that the Philippines will not abandon the area and will continue resupplying its troops.
The two nations have been locked in a territorial dispute in the resource-rich waters, with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government ramping up protests over Beijing’s actions since he took power last year. China has maintained that its presence in the area is legitimate, even after an international tribunal dashed its expansive sea claims in 2016.
The Philippine leader said on Monday that his country will continue to assert its sovereignty in the South China Sea, while also seeking continued communications with Beijing.
“We continue to assert our territorial rights in the face of all of these challenges,” Marcos told reporters.
–With assistance from Phila Siu.
(Updates with remarks from Philippine officials and comment from China’s coast guard.)
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