China, Philippines Report Encounter in South China Sea
By Neil Jerome Morales and Qianwei Zhang Jun 20, 2025 (Bloomberg) –China’s coast guard said it drove away a Philippine ship around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, the latest...
BEIJING, Aug 5 (Reuters) – China’s coast guard said it was monitoring Philippine patrol and fishing vessels that have gathered around the contested Sabina Shoal, citing China’s “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
China’s coast guard had been monitoring the vessels since Saturday, spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement late on Sunday.
Gan said patrol boats from the Philippine Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bureau and multiple fishing boats have gathered in the waters near a Philippine ship which China has said was “illegally stranded” at the shoal.
The stranded ship “violates” China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and “undermines” peace and stability in the South China Sea, the Chinese coast guard reiterated.
China refers to Sabina Shoal as Xianbin Reef, while the Philippines calls it Escoda Shoal.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Kim Coghill)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up