By Pam Castro and Cecil Morella
The Philippines condemned “illegal” actions by Chinese vessels on Friday after the boats allegedly interfered in another resupply mission to a remote military outpost in the disputed South China Sea.
Philippine Coast Guard vessels were escorting supply boats to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands when they encountered Chinese coast guard and “militia” boats, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.
While the cargo was successfully delivered to the handful of Filipino troops stationed on a grounded navy ship, the task force said Chinese vessels had carried out “harassment, dangerous maneuvers, and aggressive conduct” towards the Philippine boats.
“The Task Force strongly deplores and condemns the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing conduct of the CCG and the CMM within our nation’s EEZ,” said the task force, using the acronyms for the Chinese vessels and the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
China claims almost the entire waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
In a statement, the China Coast Guard spokesperson accused the Philippine boats of entering the waters around the reef “without obtaining permission from the Chinese government”.
“The Chinese Coast Guard issued stern warnings, trailed their entire course, and effectively regulated the Philippine ships in accordance with the law,” the spokesperson said.
“China … firmly opposes the illegal transportation of construction materials by the Philippines to the illegal grounded warship.”
Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometres from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
The Philippine Navy deliberately grounded the World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre on the shoal in 1999 to check China’s advance in the waters.
The troops stationed on the crumbling ship depend on regular deliveries for their survival.
– ‘Dangerous’ –
Friday’s resupply mission happened on the same day Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos signed a strategic partnership agreement with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Manila, as the countries seek to strengthen security and economic ties.
Marcos thanked Albanese for his “strong support” for the Philippines as it seeks to fend off maritime claims that are “not valid”, in a thinly veiled reference to China.
In another apparent jab at Beijing, Marcos told the 18-nation East Asia Summit in Indonesia on Thursday to oppose the use of “coast guard and maritime militia vessels” in the South China Sea.
Marcos told the gathering, which was attended by China, that Manila was concerned about the installation of military facilities on reclaimed features such as outcrops and reefs, as well as violations of international law.
“We are concerned over consistent actions that are in violation of obligations under international law,” Marcos said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the presidential palace.
“We must oppose the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea.”
China deploys hundreds of vessels to patrol the South China Sea and swarm reefs.
Its coast guard and navy ships routinely block or shadow Philippine boats in the contested waters, Manila has said.
The Philippines, a longtime US ally, has outposts on nine reefs and islands in the Spratlys, including Second Thomas Shoal.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing flared last month when China Coast Guard vessels used water cannon against a Philippine resupply mission to the reef, preventing one of the boats from delivering its cargo.