©Reuters. A Philippine Coast Guard personnel distributes supplies to people aboard a rigid-hull inflatable boat during a supply mission in the South China Sea, March 23, 2024. Armed Forces of the Philippines/Handout via REUTERS
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MANILA/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s coast guard said it had taken measures against Philippine vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, while the Philippines denounced the measures, including the use of water cannons, as “irresponsible and provocative “.
China’s actions caused “significant damage” and injuries to personnel of a civilian vessel hired to supply troops, the Philippine South China Sea task force said in a statement.
The incident occurred in the waters of Second Thomas Shoal and the Spratly Islands, according to the Chinese coast guard. The shoal is home to a small number of Philippine troops stationed on a warship that Manila landed there in 1999 to strengthen its sovereignty claims.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within the Philippines’ 200-mile (320 km) exclusive economic zone, and has deployed ships to patrol the disputed atoll. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China’s sweeping claims have no legal basis.
According to a Philippine Army statement, the civilian vessel was escorted by two Philippine Navy vessels and two Philippine Coast Guard vessels.
A Philippine Coast Guard vessel was “obstructed” and “surrounded” by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and two Chinese maritime militia vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a separate statement.
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As a result, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel was “isolated” from the supply vessel due to the “irresponsible and provocative behavior” of Chinese maritime forces, the agency said.
Washington “stands with its ally, the Philippines, and condemns the dangerous actions” of China, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“The PRC’s actions are destabilizing to the region and show a clear disregard for international law,” Miller said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
Gan Yu, a spokesman for China’s coast guard, said the Philippines had broken its promise to remove the stranded ship and sent two coast guard ships and a supply ship to the waters of Second Thomas Shoal, 18 days after the last round. of supplies.
China has not said who promised the removal or when that promise was made. The Philippine Ministry of Defense, Foreign Ministry and military leaders have repeatedly said that no such promise existed.
Gan said on Saturday the Philippines violated and provoked unrest, and deliberately undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
Philippine ships ignored repeated warnings and checks on China’s routes and forced their way in, Gan added. The China Coast Guard implements regulations in accordance with the laws and handles matters in a reasonable, legal and professional manner, she said.
“If the Philippines continues to act unilaterally, China will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” China’s Foreign Ministry said.
“All consequences caused by this will be borne by the Philippines.”
But the Philippines will not be dissuaded “by veiled threats or hostility” from exercising its legal rights over its maritime areas, including the Second Thomas Shoal, its task force said.