Philippines says two coast guard vessels damaged by China’s ‘unlawful manoeuvres’, while Beijing says it took ‘control measures’ after vessels illegally entered waters around shoal
State news agency Xinhua reported that the incident took place at 3:24 a.m. local time (1924 GMT Sunday).It also said the Philippine coast guard ship had then entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal around 6 am.
Repeated confrontations
“deliberately collided”
China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu said a Philippine vessel had “deliberately collided” with a Chinese ship early on Monday.
Nansha Islands
“Philippine Coast Guard vessels … illegally entered the waters near the Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government,” Geng said, using the Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands.
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“The China Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine vessels by the law,” Geng added.
BREAKING: A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel had a collision near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Monday, according to a Chinese official. | via @jovilandxrita pic.twitter.com/w41AWF5sY3
— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) August 19, 2024
Repeated clashes
China claims the Sabina Shoal, which is located 140km (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan, the closest major land mass. It is more than 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan Island.
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The repeated clashes in the South China Sea have sparked concern that Manila’s ally the United States could be drawn into a conflict as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims in the sea.
Situation of 2012
Analysts have said Beijing’s aim is to push towards Sabina Shoal from the neighbouring Second Thomas Shoal, encroaching on Manila’s exclusive economic zone and normalizing Chinese control of the area.
The situation has echoes of 2012, when Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal, another strategic area of the South China Sea closest to the Philippines.
Source : The Gaurdian
