Philippines says China blocked, water-cannoned boat in South China Sea

By Reuters: The Philippines on Sunday accused China’s coast guard of blocking and water-cannoning a Philippine army provide boat within the South China Sea, condemning the “excessive and offensive actions” in opposition to its vessels.

China claims sovereignty over nearly the complete South China Sea, an assertion rejected internationally, whereas Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have numerous claims to sure areas.

Beijing typically irks its neighbours with maritime actions they name aggressive and with longer-term actions like constructing islands on reefs and equipping them with missiles and runways.

A Chinese coast guard vessel on Saturday blocked and water-cannoned the chartered Philippine boat on a routine troop rotation and resupply mission, “in wanton disregard of the safety of the people on board and in violation of international law”, the Armed Forces of the Philippines mentioned.

It mentioned in an announcement the incident occurred close to the Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef the place a handful of its troops stay on a rusty World War Two-era U.S. ship that was deliberately grounded in 1999.

The Chinese coast guard’s “dangerous manoeuvres” prevented a second boat from unloading the provides and finishing the mission, it mentioned.

The Chinese embassy in Manila didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

“We call on the China Coast Guard and the Central Military Commission to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger peoples’ lives,” the armed forces mentioned.

The Philippine Coast Guard mentioned the Chinese actions violated legal guidelines together with two worldwide conventions and a ruling from a world tribunal.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concluded in 2016 that Beijing’s expansive declare to the South China Sea was groundless. China maintains it doesn’t settle for any declare or motion primarily based on the ruling.

The Philippine Coast Guard “calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident”, mentioned a spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

After the incident, the U.S. State Department mentioned China’s “repeated threats to the status quo in the South China Sea (were) directly threatening regional peace and stability” and that Washington stands with its Philippine allies within the face of such “dangerous actions”.

“The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces – including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea – would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” it mentioned in an announcement.