Washington/Manila/Beijing: In the South China Sea, outside Scarborough Reef on December 9 and again near Second Thomas Shoal on December 10, 2023, Chinese ships employed water cannons and “manoeuvres”, including forcing a collision, causing damage to Philippine vessels undertaking official supply missions to those locations, and jeopardizing the safety of the Filipino crew.
China today stressed that the responsibility for the recent emergencies in the waters of Ren’ai Jiao lies with the Philippines. “The root cause is that the Philippines has broken its promise and refused to tow away the illegally grounded warship at the reef and tried to reinforce it in an attempt to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao [Second Thomas Shoal]. In light of the Philippines’ repeated provocations and infringement at Ren’ai Jiao and its waters, China has been committed to enhancing communication with the Philippines with sincerity and goodwill to properly handle the situation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing today.
The Chinese ships at Scarborough Reef also used acoustic devices, incapacitating the Filipino crew members, and driving away Philippine fishing vessels.
The Philippines today called the Chinese actions against their boats in the South China Sea over the weekend a “serious escalation”, and warned that it is undeterred in protecting its sovereignty. The foreign ministry of the Philippines summoned the Chinese Ambassador over the recent collision in the South China Sea to lodge a protest with China.
Siding with the Philippines, the United States said that by impeding the safe operations of Philippine vessels carrying provisions to Filipino service members stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, China interfered in “lawful” Philippine maritime operations and in Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation.
Obstructing supply lines to this longstanding outpost and interfering with lawful Philippines maritime operations undermines regional stability, Washington claimed.
China, however, stated that the Philippines attempted to “permanently occupy” Ren’ai Jiao in Nansha Qundao which China claims to be its territory. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning sought to offer details today: “On December 10, one cargo vessel, one official vessel and two coast guard ships of the Philippines, without permission from the Chinese government, intruded into adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao in China’s Nansha Qundao in an attempt to send construction materials to the illegally grounded warship at the reef. In disregard of the warnings of the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, a Philippine vessel went headlong towards Ren’ai Jiao’s lagoon and dangerously rammed a CCG ship on the scene. This gravely violated China’s sovereignty and jeopardized the safety of the Chinese ships and personnel. The CCG took necessary enforcement measures against the Philippine ship in accordance with domestic and international law, which were professional, restrained, justified and legitimate. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged serious démarche in strong protest to the Philippine side.”
The US, however, referred to an international tribunal’s “legally binding decision” issued in July 2016, which mentioned that the PRC has no lawful maritime claims to the waters around Second Thomas Shoal, and Filipinos are entitled to traditional fishing rights around Scarborough Reef.
“As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated in Washington.
China countered the remarks stating that Ren’ai Jiao is part of China’s Nansha Qundao. “China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, and their adjacent waters. This was established in the long course of history and is consistent with international law including the UN Charter. It is against the principles of international law and legally untenable for the Philippines to cite the “award” of the South China Sea arbitration, which is illegal, null and void, to claim that Ren’ai Jiao falls within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and deny China’s sovereignty over it,” Ning said.
The US, however, claimed that these actions reflected not only China’s reckless disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos, but also for international law.
“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in the face of these dangerous and unlawful actions. We reaffirm that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” Miller said.
China accused the Philippines of spreading disinformation to hype up the incidents. “This gravely violates international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and seriously infringes on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Ning said and “urged” the Philippines to stop infringing on China’s sovereignty and making provocative moves, stop groundlessly attacking and smearing China, and avoid undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
“We will continue to do what is necessary in accordance with domestic and international laws to resolutely respond to provocative moves that infringe on China’s sovereignty and defend our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Ning warned.
– global bihari bureau
