Philippine strongly condemns the aggressive and dangerous actions of Chinese naval vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Thursday, May 8. The Philippine Armed Forces issued a statement on the same day, stating that the Philippine Navy ship, BRP Emilio Jacinto, encountered provocative behavior from Chinese military vessels and coast guard ships during a lawful patrol mission on May 5.
The mission was reportedly aimed at supporting operations by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the area. The statement highlighted that the Philippine ship, about 11.8 nautical miles southeast of Scarborough Shoal, encountered two Chinese Navy Jiangkai II-class frigates (Type 054A, with hull numbers 554 and 573) along with a Chinese coast guard ship (hull number 5403) engaging in “aggressive and unsafe” maneuvers.
Reportedly, the Chinese frigate with hull number 554 was found tailing the Philippine vessel closely, while the frigate with hull number 573 sped across the bow of the Philippine ship, a maneuver described as “high-risk” by the Philippine side and could lead to a collision. Additionally, the Chinese coast guard ship with hull number 5403 attempted to obstruct the path of the Philippine vessel.
The Philippine military stated, “These reckless maritime actions not only seriously jeopardize the personnel and navigational safety of BRP Emilio Jacinto but also blatantly violate the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).”
The statement emphasized that such threatening and provocative behavior from the Chinese side could easily lead to misjudgments and escalate conflicts, posing a significant challenge to the stability in the South China Sea region.
Scarborough Shoal, located in a strategic position in the South China Sea, is one of the most disputed areas in the Asia-Pacific region, being a core area for sovereignty and fishing rights disputes among multiple countries. China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, with its delineated “Nine-Dash Line” encompassing areas claimed by countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The Philippines initiated arbitration against China’s sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, and in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against the legality of China’s “Nine-Dash Line,” affirming that China’s actions infringed upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the area. Despite the legally binding nature of the ruling under international law, China has refused to acknowledge it, leading to ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, particularly in sensitive areas like Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef.
In response to China’s increasingly assertive maritime expansion, the Philippines government continues to strengthen its security and maritime cooperation with allies such as the United States, Japan, among others. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reiterated multiple times in public that the Philippines rejects China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea based on historical maps and reaffirms its commitment to defending national sovereignty and the rights of Filipino fishermen.