Chinese vessels fired water cannons and sideswiped the Philippine ships in two hotly contested areas in South China Sea, Filipino officials said.
The United States and several allies denounced China’s maneuvers as dangerous on Dec. 4 after Filipino officials reported Chinese vessels fired water cannons and sideswiped Philippine patrolling ships in two hotly contested areas of the South China Sea.
MaryKay Carlson, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said that the “unlawful use of water cannons” and “dangerous maneuvers” by the Chinese regime disrupted a Philippine maritime operation and put the lives of those on board at risk.
One of the incidents unfolded as the Philippine coast guard vessels and fisheries bureau ships were on patrol near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed reef in the South China Sea, to support their fishermen, according to Manila’s officials.
Tarriela posted several footage and photos from the Philippine coast guard showing what he called “blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers” by Chinese coast guard and navy ships against the Philippine vessels.
Related Stories
Following the latest confrontation, Beijing released a narrative contradicting Manila’s account.
An initial statement from China’s coast guard accused the Philippine ships of “dangerously” approaching their Chinese ships while seeking to enter what Beijing views as its territorial waters around Huangyan Island, the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal.
A Philippine government ship “ignored multiple solemn warnings” from the Chinese side and “deliberately rammed into” their ship, Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in a second statement, asserting that the Philippine side was a threat to the navigation safety of the Chinese fleet.
Adding to the maritime tensions, a separate confrontation on Dec. 4 saw a Philippine vessel “sideswiped” while another rammed by the Chinese coast guard ships near Sabina Shoal, another contested shoal in the South China Sea, according to Filipino officials.
Manila’s National Maritime Council vowed not to back down in the face of coercion and called on China to exercise self-restraint.
As of publication time, China has not released a statement regarding the skirmish near Sabina Shoal, which it claims ownership of as Xianbin Reef.
Other Reactions
In addition to the United States, the rising tensions in the South China Sea have raised alarms among the European Union (EU), Australia, and China’s neighbor, Japan.
Japan echoed these sentiments, with its ambassador to the Philippines, Endo Kazuya, calling China’s actions “dangerous.”
