On Wednesday, June 19th, Filipino military officials stated that Chinese coast guard seized Filipino soldiers’ firearms and destroyed Filipino vessels in a maritime clash on Monday, June 17th. Manila is demanding compensation for the losses and the return of the firearms.
According to Bloomberg, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Romeo Brawner Jr., mentioned during a briefing on Wednesday regarding the actions of the Chinese coast guard, “They have no right or legal authority to obstruct our operations and destroy our vessels operating in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.”
Commander Alfonso Torres Jr. of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said that on Monday, a Filipino vessel carrying out a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal encountered a Chinese coast guard ship. The Chinese coast guard illegally boarded a Filipino rubber boat, confiscated and dismantled the firearms on the Filipino vessel.
“The firearms were looted empty,” Torres stated, adding that the Chinese coast guard also deliberately punctured the Filipino rubber boat with knives and other sharp weapons during the altercation.
This maritime clash is one of the most severe incidents between China and the Philippines in the disputed waters.
On Wednesday, China claimed that their coast guard’s “law enforcement measures” were professional. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated during a routine briefing in Beijing, “We just stopped the illegal transportation by Filipino vessels. No direct measures were taken against the Filipinos.” He accused the Philippines of “illegally transporting” weapons and construction materials, and attempting to occupy Second Thomas Shoal.
Brawner mentioned that in this incident, the Chinese coast guard carried “large machetes, long guns, and bladed weapons” for the first time, forcing Filipino soldiers, who did not have these weapons, to fight back “with bare hands.”
“Our current action is to demand the Chinese to return our rifles and equipment, and we also request them to compensate for the losses incurred. This is piracy because they illegally boarded our vessels and took away our equipment,” he added.
Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his government do not recognize Beijing’s extensive claims in the region and consistently maintain Philippine sovereignty over Second Thomas Shoal.
Brawner visited the headquarters of the Western Command in Palawan to visit the injured soldiers who were on the mission, with one of them losing a finger. He stated, “They have not lost their fighting spirit, which is the most important thing.”
Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, remarked that this latest maritime clash indicates China’s attempt to increase pressure on the Philippines while testing the United States’ determination to support its treaty ally. “It appears that the Chinese government hopes to wear down the Philippines and force them to withdraw from Second Thomas Shoal,” he said.