China's coast guard reportedly rammed a patient transport vessel.
China is determined to claim the South China Sea for itself, resulting in frequent conflicts. Currently, the Philippine Coast Guard accuses China of behaving "barbarically" during the evacuation of a sick soldier.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the Chinese Coast Guard obstructed two Philippine ships while they were preparing for the medical transport of a sick Philippine soldier in the disputed South China Sea. A video released by the Philippine Coast Guard depicts a Chinese vessel ramming the two Philippine ships. Additionally, other Chinese vessels, which are alleged to be from the Chinese Coast Guard, blocked the way for the Philippine Coast Guard.
This incident supposedly took place on May 19th. The Chinese Coast Guard had been made aware of the "humanitarian nature" of the mission, claimed the Philippine Coast Guard. The Chinese vessels performed "dangerous maneuvers" and "deliberately rammed" the Philippine Navy ship, said a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard. "What was meant to be a straightforward medical evacuation operation turned into a harassment," they added. This behavior was termed as "barbaric" and "inhumane."
The Philippine soldier was ultimately loaded onto a Philippine Coast Guard vessel and transported to the island of Palawan, where he received treatment in a hospital. No details regarding his health were provided. The Philippine soldiers taking part in the incident were stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, a ship that was purposefully grounded in 1997 by the Philippines to act as an army outpost.
The Chinese embassy in Manila originally refrained from commenting on the occurrence. China claims most of the South China Sea for itself. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam all make assertions over parts of the sea, which is considered crucial for the regional countries both strategically and economically.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson expressed alarm over the actions of Chinese ships towards Philippine ships in the South China Sea. Speaking at a diplomatic gathering in the Philippine capital Manila, he did not explicitly name China but was clear that his criticism of China's "repeated dangerous maneuvers against Philippine ships" referred to China. He further stated, "These actions endanger lives, destabilize the region, violate international law, and threaten security in the region and beyond."
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The Philippine Coast Guard firmly condemns the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard in the South China Sea, as a Chinese vessel reportedly rammed two Philippine ships during a medical evacuation operation. This incident occurs as tensions continue to rise between China and several Southeast Asian nations over disputed territories in the region.
