Philippines accuses China Coast Guard of damaging its ship

MANILA: Philippines on Tuesday accused the China Coast Guard fired water cannons at two of its vessels, causing damage to one of them, during a patrol near the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. It accused China of "dangerous maneuvers and obstruction" and reinstalling a barrier at the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing blockaded and seized from Manila in 2012, reported Al Jazeera.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said, "Two Philippine vessels on maritime patrol encountered four China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and six vessels from its maritime militia in the area on Monday morning".

One of the ships was struck by water cannon from one of the CCG ships about 12 nautical miles (22km) from the shoal, while the other, a PCG vessel was hit by water cannon fired from two of the CCG ships when it was about 1,000 yards (914 metres) away from the shoal, which the Philippines calls Bajo de Masinloc.

In a post on X, PCG spokesperson said "Yesterday, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, BRP BAGACAY (MRRV-4410), and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel, BRP BANKAW (MMOV-3004), were assigned to carry out a legitimate maritime patrol in the waters near Bajo De Masinloc.

The primary objective of this mission was to distribute fuel and food supplies, highlighting our commitment to supporting the fishermen in accordance with the President's food security policy. During the patrol, the Philippine vessels encountered dangerous maneuvers and obstruction from four China Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese Maritime Militia vessels".

Although China claimed that it had "expelled" Philippine vessels from the area, a traditional fishing ground that also provides shelter in stormy weather. China had also reinstalled a barrier about 415 yards (380 metres) long across the entrance to the shoal, which lies about 220km (137 miles) off the coast of the Philippines and within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Al Jazeera reported citing Tarriela statement.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an EEZ extends some 200 nautical miles (about 370km) from a country's coast. Previously when China had installed the same barrier last year, Philippines had removed it claiming that it had breached the island country's sea boundaries according to international maritime law.

According to the report by Al Jazeera, tensions between China and the Philippines are on a steep rise, because of its expansionist claims over the South China Sea which Beijing claims almost in its entirety under a nine-dash line that an international tribunal ruled in 2016 to be without merit. Manila took its case to the tribunal after China seized Scarborough Shoal more than a decade ago.

China has ignored the ruling and continued to press its claim. Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim the parts of the sea around their coasts, the report mentioned.