THE Philippine government summoned the Chinese ambassador after the latest incident in the South China Sea. Beijing soldiers injured three Filipino soldiers using water cannons.
The Philippine foreign ministry expressed strong protest over the aggressive actions taken by the Chinese coast guard and Chinese maritime militia against a Philippine ship near Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Manila instructed its representatives in Beijing to also file a similar complaint.
This action came a day after Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano reported a confrontation that injured three Filipino soldiers and severe damage to the ship Unaizah May 4. Ano did not reveal the extent and nature of the soldiers’ injuries, although the military said the three had been treated on a guard escort ship beach.
Second Thomas Shoal
Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin in the Philippines, has been the site of repeated confrontations between Chinese and Filipino vessels over the past year. The confrontation on Saturday (23/3) marked the second time Unaizah May 4 was damaged by Chinese coast guard water cannon attacks in the shallow waters throughout March.
The shoal has been occupied by a small contingent of Philippine Navy and marines on stranded warships since 1999. The sailors, who need regular resupply missions to survive long-distance assignments. They were surrounded by the Chinese coast guard and ships thought to belong to pro-Beijing militias in an increasingly tense situation.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea and ignores the claims of other countries, including the Philippines. This was done even though there was a decision from an international arbitration court which stated that China’s statements in the South China Sea had no legal basis.
China’s Ministry of National Defense on Sunday warned the Philippines against provocative actions in the South China Sea, and vowed to safeguard Beijing’s territorial sovereignty. It then asked the Philippines to stop making any statements that could lead to increased conflict and escalation.
“If the Philippines repeatedly opposes China’s policies, then China will continue to take action to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the statement added. (Aljazeera/Cah/Z-7)
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