The Philippines on Tuesday (April 30) accused the Chinese Coast Guard of harassing and damaging a Filipino vessel in the South China Sea, and of setting up a floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and as Huangyan Island in China).
According to Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), a PCG vessel along with a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) official ship were sent to patrol near Scarborough Shoal for a maritime mission. The mission aimed to distribute fuel and food to fishermen in the area. However, during the patrol, the Filipino vessels encountered dangerous interference and obstruction from four Chinese Coast Guard ships and six Chinese maritime militia vessels.
Tarriela stated, “When the BFAR vessel was approximately 12 nautical miles from Huangyan Island, Chinese Coast Guard ship 3305 used water cannons that directly hit the starboard rear of the vessel.”
“When the PCG vessel was about 1,000 yards southeast of Huangyan Island, Chinese Coast Guard ships 3105 and 5303 used water jets, hitting the Filipino vessel from both sides, causing damage to its railings and canopy,” he emphasized. “This damage is evidence of the Chinese Coast Guard’s use of high water pressure in harassing the Filipino vessels.”
Tarriela refuted earlier claims by China that the Filipino vessels were driven away by the Chinese Coast Guard. “Despite the harassment and provocations by the Chinese Coast Guard, the PCG and BFAR vessels stood their ground, continuing their maritime patrols,” he said. “They were not intimidated and will continue lawful actions to support Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety.”
Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal as their territorial waters. It is a strategic location near major shipping routes and has been not only a shelter for fishing boats during storms but also a traditional fishing ground for multiple countries.
The Philippines asserts that based on international maritime law, the islands are approximately 220 kilometers (137 miles) from the Philippine coast and fall within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). However, China has effectively controlled the reef for over a decade, leading to multiple conflicts in the region in recent years.
Tarriela also mentioned in the statement that China has once again installed a 380-meter-long floating barrier at the shallow entrance of the reef, restricting access to and from the atoll.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a crucial maritime passage with over $3 trillion in ship traffic annually. Countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei all lay partial claims to the South China Sea.
In 2016, an international arbitration court ruled that China’s claims lacked legal basis, a decision that China’s authorities rejected.