The disputed area of Xianbin Reef in the South China Sea is becoming a new hotspot of conflict. In the past two weeks, there have been at least three collisions between Chinese and Filipino coast guard ships, with both sides taking a hardline stance. However, the Philippines is gaining more international support. The US Indo-Pacific Command has stated that it can escort Filipino vessels, and Vietnam is also likely to sign a defense agreement with the Philippines.
On August 31, a collision occurred again between a Chinese coast guard ship and a Philippine coast guard ship in the disputed area of Xianbin Reef (known as Escoda Shoal in the Philippines). Both sides blamed each other for the incident.
During a press conference in the afternoon, Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, publicly shared drone footage showing multiple Chinese government and militia ships surrounding the BRP Teresa Magbanua (referred to as “Chinese Coast Guard Ship 9701”). The Chinese Coast Guard Ship 5205 rammed into the port bow of the Magbanua and repeatedly turned back to ram it again, causing damage and multiple holes.
He stressed that the Philippine Coast Guard’s duty is to carry out coastal defense operations, and despite continuous harassment, bullying, and escalation of tensions by China, “we have no reason to withdraw BRP Magbanua or any other ship.”
On the same day, a spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard, Liu Dejun, claimed that the Philippine Coast Guard ship 9701 was “illegally lingering” in Xianbin Reef, provoking and causing the collision through provocation and dangerous deliberate ramming, placing full responsibility on the Philippines.
Xianbin Reef is located 630 nautical miles from the Chinese mainland coast and approximately 75 nautical miles from the western coast of the Philippines. The Philippines argues that it falls within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Philippines had previously accused China of land reclamation and constructing “artificial islands” in Xianbin Reef. On April 16, the Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed in Xianbin Reef and remains stationed there. Despite Philippine resupply missions to the vessel, China has sent warships to block them and diplomatically demanded the Philippines to withdraw the ship.
In less than two weeks, there have been at least three collision incidents between China and the Philippines in Xianbin Reef, making it a new hotspot of conflict in the South China Sea following Scarborough Shoal and Thitu Island.
Public records indicate that the Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua stationed in Xianbin Reef has a displacement of approximately 1,700 tons, while the Chinese 10,000-ton-class coast guard ship 5901 has been anchored near Xianbin Reef since early July.
According to the Philippine media outlet Inquirer.net, China has deployed 40 vessels near Xianbin Reef to prevent Philippine resupply missions, including 6 warships and 3 coast guard ships. On August 26, a 12,000-ton Chinese Navy Type 055 destroyer appeared just 30 nautical miles off the nearest Philippine coast from Palawan Island, closely following two much smaller Philippine Coast Guard ships.
After multiple failed resupply attempts, the Philippines resorted to a helicopter air drop of supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbanua on August 28. However, the current situation is more unfavorable for the Philippines. If the vessel is cut off from supplies, it may have no choice but to leave on its own.
The South China Sea is a crucial global maritime passageway, with annual trade worth up to $3 trillion passing through it. Apart from China and Taiwan, countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei also claim sovereignty over the region.
China and the Philippines have been at odds over islands and reefs in the South China Sea for decades. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on a case brought by the Philippines, stating that China’s historic claims based on the nine-dash line in the South China Sea lack a legal basis. However, Beijing refused to participate in the arbitration process and rejected the outcome.
Since the election of Marcos in the Philippines in 2022, both Beijing and Manila have taken a more assertive stance on the South China Sea issue, leading to escalating tensions this year.
Amid heightened hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command recently stated that the US military is willing to discuss “escorting Filipino vessels in disputed South China Sea waters.”
On August 27, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, and Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner held an international military conference in Manila, focusing on China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea. The meeting was attended by military, defense, and diplomatic officials from the US and its allies, with no Chinese representatives present.
Following the meeting, Paparo and Brawner held a joint press conference. When asked if the US military is considering escorting Filipino ships transporting food and supplies in the South China Sea, Paparo responded, “Certainly, within the confines of our consultations.”
Paparo stated, “All choices made by sovereign countries for mutual defense, including escorting each other’s ships, are completely reasonable within our mutual defense treaty framework and our close alliance framework.”
Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty signed between the US and the Philippines, the US is obligated to defend Philippine forces, government vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea in the event of an armed attack by a third party.
Brawner’s stance remains cautious. He told the media, “We will try all possible means and channels available to us.” Only when necessary will the Philippines seek other options. He added, “This is not just about acting with the United States; other like-minded countries will also participate.”
On August 30, Philippine President Marcos met with visiting Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang at the Presidential Palace in the Philippines.
The Philippine President’s office stated that the Philippines and Vietnam are expected to soon sign a defense cooperation agreement, marking an important step by two countries that have long opposed China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.
Despite overlapping claims to sovereignty over islands in the Spratlys between Vietnam and the Philippines, both sides expressed a desire to work together to resolve disputes.
General Phan Van Giang stated during a joint briefing, “Both sides believe that maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, also known as the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea, is of utmost importance.”
Earlier in August, the coast guards of Vietnam and the Philippines held their first joint training in Manila, simulating firefighting and search and rescue exercises.
Furthermore, following the collision incident at Xianbin Reef, the European Union condemned China’s “dangerous actions” by its coast guard ships. Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Haneda, expressed serious concerns on the platform X, stating opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force and pledging support for the Philippines and maritime rule of law. A spokesperson for the US State Department called on China to “stop its dangerous and destabilizing behavior.”
Regarding the conflicts between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, independent commentator Zhu Ge Mingyang believes that safeguarding territorial sovereignty is the responsibility of a government. However, China’s defense of territorial sovereignty is merely rhetoric, serving as an excuse to disrupt regional security and stability.
He told Epoch Times, “If China truly cared about territorial sovereignty, it would not have quietly ceded over a million square kilometers of territory to Russia without any explanation, or silently modified the China-Russia border on maps. Disputes arising from historical reasons in territorial sovereignty should be peacefully and rationally resolved with other countries, not used as an opportunity to expand influence.”