Philippines, China Trade Protests After Ships Collide Again

By Cliff Venzon and Andreo Calonzo (Bloomberg) —

The Philippines and China traded complaints after their ships collided again in the South China Sea on Tuesday, raising tensions further between the two nations over the disputed waters.

The collision between the coast guard ships took place during a Philippine military resupply operation that also saw two Chinese coast guard vessels deploy water cannons against a Philippines-chartered supply boat, Manila’s task force on the disputed sea said in a statement. Four crew members of the Philippine supply boat were injured.

The Philippines’ foreign affairs department said it summoned Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission Zhou Zhiyong in Manila “to convey the Philippines’ protest against the aggressive actions” by China’s coast guard and maritime militia against a routine mission to supply provisions to a military outpost in Second Thomas Shoal.

During the meeting, the Philippines said China’s interference in lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone is “unacceptable” and that Beijing’s actions “infringe upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” according to the foreign affairs statement.

The Chinese vessels made “dangerous blocking maneuvers” against Philippine ships, resulting in “superficial structural damage” to the hull of a Philippine Coast Guard boat, Manila’s task force said.  

This morning, @coastguardph vessels, BRP CABRA and BRP SINDANGAN, were deployed by the Commandant, CG Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, to support the Rotation and Reprovisioning Operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Throughout the operation, the PCG vessels faced dangerous… pic.twitter.com/WsjnMnGSEk

— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) March 5, 2024

China’s coast guard said in a statement that it took “control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters” near Ren’ai Reef, also known as Second Thomas Shoal. It also said Philippine vessels deliberately collided with its ships and ignored warnings. China claims nearly all of South China Sea, including the contested Spratly Islands that it calls Nansha Islands.

The two sides previously maintained communication on handling the dispute, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said during a regular press briefing on Tuesday. 

“The Philippines, however, once again violated this commitment to China, making infringements and provocations and created troubles in the waters, which gravely violates China’s territorial sovereignty and interest,” she said.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson responded with a post on X, saying: “We strongly condemn the PRC’s dangerous maneuvers” that endangered lives, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

The European Union’s ambassador to the Philippines, Luc Véron, also said in a post on X that he’s troubled by Tuesday’s “pattern of maneuvers and blocking” from Chinese ships “targeting Philippine vessels.” He reiterated the EU’s call for all parties to abide by a 2016 arbitration ruling that voided China’s sweeping maritime claims. Beijing has rejected that decision.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said his nation will pursue bilateral engagements with China to resolve their dispute in the South China Sea, but criticized the “pattern of aggression” in the contested waters.

In October, the Philippines said two of its vessels collided with Chinese boats during a mission to deliver supplies to a South China Sea outpost. Vessels from the two countries again faced off in multiple clashes in the contested waters in December, with China’s coast guard saying a Philippine boat ignored warnings and “deliberately collided” with its vessel.

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