On Monday (June 17), the Chinese Coast Guard stated that a Chinese vessel and a Filipino supply ship collided near the disputed Ren’ai Reef in the South China Sea.
According to the Chinese Coast Guard, at 5:59 on Monday morning, a Filipino supply ship “illegally entered” the waters near Ren’ai Reef.
The Chinese Coast Guard issued a statement on social media accusing the Filipino supply ship of “ignoring China’s repeated solemn warnings… and intentionally approaching Chinese vessels in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.”
China claims that the responsibility for the ship collision incident lies entirely with the Philippines and did not mention the damage to the two vessels.
The Philippine government has not immediately commented on the incident.
Ren’ai Reef, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a disputed atoll in the South China Sea. Manila calls it Ayungin Shoal. The Philippines believes that the shoal, which is less than 200 nautical miles (about 370 kilometers) from its coast, falls within its internationally recognized exclusive economic zone. It also cites a 2016 international arbitration ruling that declared China’s sovereignty claims in the South China Sea invalid based on historical facts.
In 1999, in an effort to assert its sovereignty claim, the Philippines deliberately ran aground the BRP Sierra Madre landing ship on Ren’ai Reef, where a outpost was set up on the ship.
In recent months, whenever Filipino vessels attempted to resupply stationed navy personnel, they often encountered harassment from Chinese vessels.
Previously, Chinese coast guard ships have used high-pressure water cannons against Filipino vessels in disputed waters, resulting in collisions that injured Filipino soldiers.
In recent months, China’s stance in the South China Sea has become increasingly aggressive, raising concerns about the potential escalation of conflicts and leading to worries about US-China military confrontation.
Last month, the Chinese Coast Guard Bureau issued the “Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of the Coast Guard Agency,” which took effect on June 15. According to the regulation, the Chinese Coast Guard can detain foreign individuals suspected of intruding into the South China Sea for up to 60 days for review and is also allowed to fire upon foreign vessels within its jurisdiction.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that this measure is aimed at “better maintaining maritime order.”
On Friday, the G7 criticized China’s “dangerous” encroachments in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea is a vital global trade route, believed to hold vast untapped oil and gas reserves beneath its seabed. Apart from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan are also embroiled in this longstanding territorial dispute, which is seen as a geopolitical hotspot in Asia.
The United States has warned that it has an obligation to defend the Philippines if its military forces, vessels, or aircraft are subjected to armed attacks in the South China Sea.