Philippines alleges China for causing 'crew member injuries and ship damage' in clash within the South China Sea
Conflict between the Philippines and China has been escalating, with both nations blaming each other for a violent clash on Monday near Second Thomas Shoal in the contentious Spratly Islands. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Wednesday, confirming injuries and damage to their sailors, although specifics were scarce.
The statement from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the allegedly illegal and aggressive actions of Chinese authorities that led to personnel injuries and vessel damage. However, they didn't reveal the exact number of wounded sailors or the extent of their injuries.
At least eight Filipinos were injured during the incident - one of them losing a thumb, according to a report by the Associated Press on Tuesday. They quoted an anonymous official as their source.
A request for comment was sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard, but they have yet to respond.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the law enforcement measures taken by the Chinese Coast Guard were professional and restrained. They claimed these actions were aimed at stopping illegal fishing by Philippine ships and denied taking any direct actions against Philippine personnel.
This latest incident is part of an ongoing series of confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships, raising concerns about the possibility of the South China Sea becoming a hotspot for global conflict. Just a few weeks ago, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. issued a warning that the death of any Filipino citizen at the hands of another country in the waterway would be "close" to an act of war.
Marcos has been working to strengthen ties with the US, who have repeatedly expressed their commitment to a 1951 mutual defense treaty between the US and the Philippines, which requires both parties to help defend each other if either is attacked by a third party.
China claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea and most of the islands and sandbars within it. The South China Sea is rich in oil and gas reserves, and multiple governments, including the Philippines, hold competing claims.
In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a landmark maritime dispute, declaring that China has no legal grounds to claim historic rights to the majority of the South China Sea. However, China has disregarded this ruling and has continued to push its maritime territorial claims.
China Coast Guard ships, backed by militia boats, have been embroiled in numerous clashes over the past year that have caused damage to Philippine ships and injuries to Filipino sailors, including instances where water cannons were used.
Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines and Ren’ai Jiao in China, is a submerged reef approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the Philippine island of Palawan. It lies within the Spratly Islands, an archipelago that is largely uninhabited but is believed to hold valuable oil and gas reserves. The Spratly Islands are also claimed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
The Philippines sent a resupply to their soldiers stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy landing craft that was deliberately run aground in 1999 to assert Manila's territorial claims over Second Thomas Shoal. The Chinese coast guard claimed that a Philippine supply ship disregarded their repeated warnings and approached a Chinese vessel in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision. The Chinese Coast Guard also stated they took measures including warnings, interceptions, boarding inspections, and forced evictions against the Philippine vessels.
Multiple US officials have criticized China's actions and have reiterated their support for the Philippines. The "United States stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the escalatory and irresponsible actions" by China, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
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The South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China extends beyond the latest incident, involving injuries and damage to Filipino sailors and vessels. This tension within Asia contributes to global concerns about potential conflicts over resources in the region.
