On Monday, August 19, the Philippines and China accused each other of colliding ships and engaging in dangerous maneuvers in the South China Sea. Despite reaching an agreement to ease tensions last month, maritime conflicts between the two countries persist.
The Philippines stated that two Coast Guard ships were on their way to provide supplies to personnel stationed on two islands when they encountered what they described as “illegal aggressive actions” by Chinese vessels near Sabina Shoal.
The Chinese Coast Guard, in a statement, claimed that a Philippine ship ignored multiple warnings and intentionally collided with a Chinese vessel in a “unprofessional and dangerous” manner in disputed waters on Monday morning.
The Philippines refuted Beijing’s claims, accusing China of distorting facts. Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the National Security Council and Manila’s South China Sea Task Force, stated that China’s “dangerous maneuvers led to the collision, causing structural damage to two PCG (Philippine Coast Guard) ships.”
The United States condemned China’s actions. MaryKay Carlson, the U.S. Ambassador to Manila, stated that the U.S. “stands with the Philippines in condemning the dangerous actions of the Chinese Coast Guard,” which endangered lives and damaged Coast Guard vessels.
The Philippine Task Force stated that both vessels will continue their supply mission.
The conflict occurred near Sabina Shoal, where the BRP Cape Engano and Bagacay Coast Guard ships were en route to resupply personnel stationed on Patag (Flat Island) and Nanshan (Lawak Island).
Around 3 to 4 a.m. local time on Monday, there were at least three collisions between Chinese and Philippine Coast Guard vessels. The first collision reportedly caused a 3.6-foot hole on the right side of the BRP Cape Engano.
Approximately 16 minutes later, a Chinese Coast Guard ship allegedly struck the Bagacay ship twice, creating a 2.5-foot by 3-foot hole on the port side, as per the Philippine side.
PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela stated, “The Chinese Coast Guard’s dangerous maneuvers resulted in the most significant structural damage on our part.”
The Chinese Coast Guard released a video alleging deliberate collisions by Philippine vessels. Malaya pointed out that the video may be misleading.
According to a spokesperson for the Chinese Coast Guard, Ganyu, two Philippine Coast Guard ships illegally entered waters near Sabina Shoal without permission late on Monday night.
Sabina Shoal, located in the Spratly Islands, is only 75 nautical miles from the western coast of the Philippines. Like the ongoing confrontation at Second Thomas Shoal, Sabina Shoal lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. A 2016 ruling by an international arbitration court invalidated China’s extensive sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, a decision Beijing refuses to accept, leading to continued disputes with the Philippines.
Since last year, tensions primarily focused on the Philippines’ military outpost, Second Thomas Shoal, located 30 miles west of Sabina Shoal. China has sought to disrupt Manila’s resupply missions to the outpost, employing various aggressive tactics such as water cannons, ramming, lasers, and even brandishing axes and knives to intimidate Philippine personnel.
In July of this year, the Philippines and China indicated they had reached an agreement to de-escalate tensions. However, differences in interpreting the agreement quickly emerged during Monday’s standoff, raising new doubts about the accord’s fate despite the change in location.
Less than two weeks prior, a separate incident involved Chinese and Philippine military forces near Scarborough Shoal. Philippine officials strongly criticized the Chinese Air Force for harassing a Philippine aircraft conducting maritime patrols over Scarborough Shoal, calling China’s behavior dangerous and provocative.
Unlike Second Thomas Shoal, Sabina Shoal is not a military outpost, but tensions have been ongoing there for several months. In mid-April, the Philippines deployed the large Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua to Sabina Shoal for an extended mission, as China appeared to be undertaking land reclamation activities in the area.
In a briefing in May, the Philippine Coast Guard reported the presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels and research ships in the region, noting visits by Chinese Navy ships, helicopters, and Coast Guard vessels. The Philippine divers studying the area also discovered crushed dead corals scattered at different locations around Sabina Shoal, indicating potential land reclamation activities. Given China’s track record, some South China Sea islands have been transformed into military bases.
“If we do not continue monitoring and protecting this area, we may be surprised in the coming months to see that they have expanded islands at Sabina Shoal.” Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, remarked during the May briefing.
At the time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed this as “pure rumor.” In the following months, China accused Manila of creating new tensions in the South China Sea and demanded the withdrawal of deployed vessels from Sabina Shoal.
(Reference: Reuters)