South China Sea Showdown: China and Philippines Engage in Blame Game After Ship Collision
The conflict between China and the Philippines in the important waterway of the South China Sea continues to escalate, with both sides accusing each other of ramming their own ships in the South China Sea.
On August 31, local time, the Chinese Coast Guard said that a Philippine ship that illegally stayed at China’s Xianbin Reef “deliberately rammed” a Chinese ship that was normally defending its rights and enforcing the law. The Philippine Coast Guard claimed that a Chinese ship “deliberately rammed” a ship from Manila.
No casualties were reported in the collision.
China’s Xianbin Reef is located 140 kilometers west of Palawan Island in the Philippines and about 1,200 kilometers from China’s Hainan Island.
Liu Dejun, spokesman for the China Coast Guard, said, “We will take necessary measures to resolutely thwart all infringing acts of provoking trouble and causing trouble at multiple locations, and resolutely safeguard our country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
Liu Dejun stressed that “China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Xianbin Reef, and its surrounding waters.”
Jay Tariela, a spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, said the Chinese Coast Guard had ignored collision rules and taken dangerous actions.
China-Philippines crisis hotline: Both countries set up telephone hotline to resolve South China Sea disputeTariela said the collision occurred three times and hit the country’s vessel’s port bow, starboard stern and port beam, causing some damage.
“We have to note that this happened despite the fact that our actions and presence at Sinbin Reef were not provocative,” Tariela told reporters.
The Philippines claims the shoal is within its exclusive economic zone and is also a rendezvous point for the Philippines to supply its garrison illegally grounded on Second Thomas Shoal.
China’s coast guard said this week it had rescued Filipinos who fell into the water after the two countries exchanged fire over a collision between their vessels.
In June, the Philippine Navy attempted to resupply a small garrison but was blocked by Chinese coast guard personnel. The Philippines claimed one of its sailors lost a thumb during the conflict.
China emphasizes its indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, including the Xianbin Reef, and their surrounding waters, but countries such as the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam dispute the sovereignty of some of these waters.
The waters of the South China Sea are believed to contain rich oil and gas reserves and fish stocks, and $3 trillion worth of trade passes through the area each year.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration declared that China’s sovereignty claims over the waters lacked legal basis, but China rejected and ignored the ruling.
China has deployed several ships to protect its sovereignty claims.
South China SeaSovereignty claim
China claims nearly 90% of the South China Sea, but some Southeast Asian countries are dissatisfied with this. This area of water is of great strategic significance, rich in fishery resources, and has huge oil and gas reserves. It is also a sea route for goods worth $3 trillion each year (Al Jazeera)