On Tuesday, the Philippine military said that the Chinese Coast Guard deliberately rammed a Philippine supply boat in the South China Sea, resulting in a Filipino navy sailor being “seriously injured”.
The Philippine military stated in a release that the Chinese Coast Guard’s “continuing aggression and unprofessional conduct in violation of humanitarian mission is unacceptable”.
On Monday (June 17), a collision incident occurred between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the disputed Ren’ai Reef in the South China Sea. The Philippines stated that its armed forces will resist China’s actions in disputed waters.
The Chinese Coast Guard claimed in a statement on Monday that the Philippine supply boat “illegally intruded” into the waters near Ren’ai Reef, and that responsibility for the collision incident lies entirely with the Philippines.
Philippine officials stated that China disrupted their mission to provide supplies to the troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre reef at Ren’ai Reef. The Philippines intentionally ran aground this rusty naval vessel there in 1999 to bolster its maritime claims.
The Chinese Coast Guard alleged that Philippine vessels “approached Chinese ships in a dangerous and unprofessional manner”, forcing them to take control measures such as “warning interception, boarding inspections, and forced eviction”.
The Philippines described China’s claims as “deceptive and misleading”.
The Philippine military stated on Tuesday that the injured sailor has been successfully evacuated and is receiving treatment, but there was no specific information on the severity of the injuries.
In recent months, Ren’ai Reef has been a hotspot in the relations between the two countries. The reef is located within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, while China asserts sovereignty over the area.
China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, with parts of the region being claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
The South China Sea is rich in resources and serves as a strategic waterway that handles around $3 trillion in trade shipping annually.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s extensive claims in the South China Sea were invalid. However, Beijing has refused to accept the ruling.
The U.S. State Department referred to this incident as the latest in a series of “provocative” actions by China aimed at preventing the Philippines from delivering supplies to their personnel stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre. Canada and the UK also condemned China’s actions, while France and Japan expressed concern.
As tensions escalate between the Philippines and China in this maritime area, the Philippines submitted a claim to the United Nations for an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the South China Sea on Saturday (June 15). On the same day, China’s new Administrative Measures for Law Enforcement by the China Coast Guard went into effect, allowing for the detention of Filipino fishermen who illegally enter disputed waters.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry stated that the submission to the UN had been approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after comprehensive technical and scientific research was conducted on the West Philippine Sea continental shelf.
The Philippines refers to the part of the South China Sea within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea, encompassing areas like Ren’ai Reef and Scarborough Shoal where sovereignty disputes with China persist. The Philippines stated that it is using its rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to determine the outer limits of its continental shelf, covering an area up to 350 nautical miles.
Also on the same Saturday, Philippine military leadership urged Filipino fishermen to continue fishing operations normally in their own South China Sea exclusive economic zone without fear. This coincided with the Chinese Coast Guard’s new regulations coming into effect.
Previously, China issued new regulations, stating that they would enforce a 2021 law allowing the Chinese Coast Guard to use deadly force against foreign ships in waters where it claims sovereignty, and permitting the detention of “illegal” intruders for 60 days without trial.
(Reference: Reuters)