The Philippines and China have again blamed each other after the second maritime collision in six days as tensions continue to rise in the disputed South China Sea.
The most recent collision, which occurred Sunday a few minutes past 2 p.m., involved a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel, the BRP Datu Sanday, as it delivered food, diesel, and medical supplies to local fishermen in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal and Half Moon Shoal, two atolls in the Spratly Islands.
Both features are less than 100 miles from the Philippines’ Palawan province and inside the Southeast Asian country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone (EEZ). China’s claims over 90 percent of the energy-rich South China Sea, which it alleges are based on historical rights, overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Manila accused China’s maritime forces of ganging up on the fisheries bureau ship with “unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions.”
China Coast Guard
“The Datu Sanday was targeted by the People’s Liberation Army Navy ship 626 and multiple China Coast Guard ships, which attempted to encircle and block the humanitarian mission,” read a statement released Sunday by the Philippine multi-agency task force responsible for parts of the South China Sea falling within the country’s EEZ.
Chinese coast guard ships sounded their horns, rammed, and deployed water cannon at the Philippine ship, the statement said, adding that the water cannon barrages forced an end to the fisheries bureau operation after causing engine failure. The task force called on China to “halt these provocative actions that destabilize regional peace and security.”
China’s coast guard in its own statement said it had taken “control measures” after the Philippine ship had disregarded the Chinese side’s warnings and “illegally entered” waters near Sabina Shoal.
Coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu said the Philippine vessel then “deliberately rammed” a Chinese coast guard ship and warned Manila to cease its “infringement and provocation or it would “bear all the consequences.”
Newsweek reached out to the Philippine coast guard and fisheries bureau via written requests for comment.
Chinese state media accused the Philippines of planning to use the fisheries bureau ship to resupply the BRP Teresa Magbanua, a Philippine ship that has been parked in the shoal’s lagoon since April.
The Philippines has previously said it deployed the ship after a large amount of corals were discovered discarded there.
Chinese state-owned tabloid the Global Times cited Yang Xiao, deputy director of the deputy director of China’s Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, as saying the Southeast Asian country has been “quasi-grounding” the Teresa Magbanua.
The ship’s months-long deployment at the shoal has riled Beijing, which has accused its neighbor of moving toward a more permanent presence like the contentious Philippine warship-turned-marine outpost at another Spratly Island feature, Second Thomas Shoal.
The Chinese Coast Guard engaged in unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel, which was on a humanitarian mission to provide Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies. It is PRC that is trespassing… https://t.co/QSIBiN6NmT pic.twitter.com/5weHQKPHzA
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 25, 2024
However, China has also kept its forces in the area, including by stationing the world’s largest coast ship CCG 5901, nicknamed the “Monster,” at the shoal for around 30 days starting in early July.
“The only reason you are calling for our vessel to withdraw from Escoda Shoal is that you are clearly conducting illegal activities that harm our marine environment. Additionally, please refrain from perpetuating the falsehood that our vessel is grounded; we are not as naive as you might think,” Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
Sunday’s incident comes less than a week after collisions between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships in nearby waters. The Philippines released images of minor damage the Chinese hulls inflicted on two of its ships.