The Philippines said yesterday that it had filed a diplomatic complaint and summoned the Chinese ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, over several incidents between Chinese and Philippine ships in disputed waters over the weekend.
The Philippines said yesterday that it had filed a diplomatic complaint and summoned the Chinese ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, due to several incidents between Chinese and Philippine ships in disputed waters over the weekend Business Ministry spokesperson Foreigner from the Philippines, Teresita Daza, stated, in a press conference, that Chinese ships used water cannons once morest Philippine ships on Saturday and Sunday, in waters that Manila considers to be within its exclusive economic zone.
The spokeswoman classified the incident as a “violation of international law”.
The first incident occurred on Saturday near the shallows of Mansiloc (Scarborough Atoll), located regarding 220 kilometers from the Philippine island of Luzon, and the second occurred on Sunday near the Ayungin sandbank, regarding 184 kilometers from West of the Philippine island of Palawan, both in the South China Sea.
“The use of water cannons by China is a serious action once morest Philippine ships carrying out legitimate activities in the area. These actions violate the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines and constitute a threat to peace, good order and security,” Daza said.
The Philippine spokeswoman said the supply work carried out by the Philippine ships took place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Daza recalled that the Hague Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 in its sovereignty dispute with Beijing over the atoll and other islands in the South China Sea.
The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., denounced, on Sunday on X (formerly Twitter), the “aggression and provocation perpetrated by the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militias” once morest Philippine ships, but assured that his country will continue to defend its sovereignty with “determination”.
Philippine Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said Chinese ships fired water cannons and surrounded and rammed a Philippine vessel.
On Sunday, China alleged that four Philippine ships “attempted to ship construction materials to an illegally stranded warship,” which “seriously violated Chinese sovereignty.”
The Chinese coast guard, which accused a Philippine vessel of causing a “minor collision”, “has taken restrictive measures in accordance with law and regulations” once morest the island nation’s ships, said coast guard spokesman Gan Yu, quoted by the official newspaper Global Times. “The responsibility for the clash lies with the Philippine side, which intentionally provoked the Chinese ships,” Gan said.
China and the Philippines are at odds over the sovereignty of several islands and atolls in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in full despite protests from neighboring countries.
Tensions between Beijing and Manila have increased in recent months, as the Philippine President strengthened the defense alliance with the United States and reversed the rapprochement with Beijing promoted by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
