Philippines, China trade blame in latest South China Sea spat

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Published October 9, 2024

BEIJING/MANILA, Oct 8 (Reuters) – The Philippines accused China’s coast guard on Tuesday of firing water cannon at government ships taking supplies to fishermen at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, but Beijing said its “control measures” followed the boats’ intrusions in its waters.

The incident was the two countries’ latest run-in regarding the Scarborough shoal, a fishing ground within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone that China claims as its territory.

“We urge the Philippines to immediately cease its violations,” Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China’s coast guard, said in a statement.

Two Philippine ships “invaded the waters” near Scarborough Shoal, it added, prompting what the Chinese side called “control measures”.

The Philippine fisheries bureau said its vessels were on a routine mission to resupply fishermen when three Chinese coast guard (CCG) ships and a People’s Liberation Army-Navy vessel approached at close distance and shadowed their movement.

“The CCG vessels attempted to impede the mission … but were unsuccessful,” it said in a statement. “The CCG vessels also opened and directed their water cannons, but this failed to reach the Philippine civilian boats.”

The Philippine vessels were the Datu Cabaylo and the Datu Sunday, it added.

The Scarborough Shoal, named for a British ship grounded on the atoll nearly three centuries ago, is one of Asia’s most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups over sovereignty and fishing rights.

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SOURCE: www.reuters.com

RELATED: China Coast Guard Blasts Philippine Fisheries Vessel at Scarborough Shoal

A China Coast Guard cutter blasting a Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on Oct. 8, 2024. Image via X

Published October 8, 2024

A Chinese cutter blasted a Philippine fisheries vessel with its water cannon at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Tuesday morning, officials in Manila said on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, a civilian department meant to assist and regulate Philippine fishing efforts, said two offshore vessels were harassed by two cutters from the China Coast Guard and a warship from the People’s Liberation Army Navy. According to the agency, BRP Datu Cabaylo (MMOV-3001) and BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV-3002) were at Scarborough Shoal to resupply fishermen fishing near the disputed maritime feature.

A video released by Philippine state media provider People’s Television Network depicted the China Coast Guard cutter 3301 deploying its water cannons against Datu Cabaylo. Despite Chinese attempts to impede the Philippine civilian vessels through the use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said that their vessels were able to support the country’s fishermen in the area successfully.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Vice Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters of the incident following an Armed Forces of the Philippines presser that revealed the presence of 190 Chinese ships within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, including 28 cutters and warships from the China Coast Guard and People’s Liberation Army Navy near Second Thomas, Sabina, and Scarborough Shoals.

This is the latest incident between the two countries over Scarborough Shoal. Known to the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and by China as Huangyan Dao, the disputed South China Sea maritime feature has been a constant flashpoint since the 2012 standoff, which saw Beijing effectively occupy the shoal. While China has de facto occupied Scarborough since then, incidents over the feature have increased within the last year with Chinese forces attempting to solidify its claims through the use of dangerous maneuvers, water cannons, and ramming attacks to force out Manila’s vessels. Philippine civic groups have also attempted to sail to the shoal to protest China’s occupation in May.