Another incident in the South China Sea: According to the Philippines, a coast guard ship was fired at with water cannons by Chinese ships and damaged. Beijing sees itself in the right.
China claims most of the South China Sea for itself. Other coastal states such as the Philippines also claim certain maritime areas. There was another incident between China and the Philippines on Monday.
According to authorities in Manila, Chinese coast guard ships fired on two Filipino ships that had gone out to deliver supplies to fishermen. Water cannons were used. One of the ships, the Philippine Coast Guard’s “BRP Bagacay”, was damaged.
Disputed maritime area
The ships therefore met near Scarborough Reef. The fish-rich reef is mostly underwater and is about 230 kilometers off the northwest coast of the Philippines.
China also claims the area for itself. There was already a military incident in 2012, after which Beijing occupied the reef. The International Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected China’s territorial claims in 2016. Beijing ignores the ruling.
No agreement in sight
After Monday’s incident, China accused the Philippines of unlawfully entering Chinese waters. “The Chinese Coast Guard has taken necessary measures to resolutely expel them in accordance with the law,” said Lin Juan, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, both supply ships maintained their position and continued their journey despite the Chinese “provocations”.
The USA and China’s neighbors accuse Beijing of increasing militarization of the South China Sea. There was a collision between Chinese and Filipino ships at the beginning of March. A similar incident also triggered tensions in December 2023.