China has accused Philippine vessels of “illegally” intruding and colliding with one of their ships near the Escoda Shoal, escalating the ongoing territorial dispute between the two nations.
The Chinese Coast Guard issued a statement claiming that a Philippine vessel acted “unprofessionally and dangerously,” disregarding multiple warnings before deliberately colliding with a Chinese ship. “We warn the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement and provocation, otherwise all the consequences arising from this will be borne by the Philippines,” the statement said. Videos released by the Chinese Coast Guard appear to document the collision.
The incident occurred near the Escoda Shoal, also known as Sabina Shoal and Xianbin Reef, located in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea. Tensions in this area have been high since April when the Philippine Coast Guard deployed its largest ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to the region.
On Friday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson reiterated Beijing’s demand for the Philippines to “stop its infringement activities” and withdraw its vessels from the contested waters.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela responded to these claims on social media, asserting that Escoda Shoal lies within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award. “Our Philippine Coast Guard vessels have the right to operate within the lagoon of Escoda Shoal for as long as necessary, without requiring permission from any other country,” Tarriela stated.
Tarriela emphasized that the deployment of the Philippine vessel was intended to safeguard the nation’s sovereign rights rather than to provoke or escalate tensions.
For months, tensions between China and the Philippines have been escalating in the Spratly Islands, with multiple incidents occurring in disputed waters. The Second Thomas Shoal has been particularly contentious, with reports of Philippine vessels being rammed and sprayed with water cannons by Chinese forces. In one case, Chinese forces seized Filipino boats, resulting in injuries to a Philippine Navy personnel.
While a provisional agreement was reached between China and the Philippines over the Second Thomas Shoal last month, disagreements over the terms of the deal quickly emerged.
In addition to the maritime disputes, tensions flared last week when the Philippines accused China’s Air Force of conducting dangerous maneuvers over the nearby Scarborough Shoal. These actions have drawn condemnation from the Philippines’ allies, including the United States, which has a mutual defense pact with the country.
In response to concerns raised by China over the presence of a U.S.-supplied missile system in the Philippines, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo assured that the system posed no threat to China and would not destabilize the region. The U.S. has also pledged $500 million in military aid to the Philippines, and the country has expanded its military cooperation with Japan.
On Friday, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China’s defense ministry, expressed disapproval of the growing defense cooperation between the Philippines, U.S., and Japan, stating that it should not target any third party or disrupt regional peace and stability. He added, “The Philippines are inviting wolves into the house and willingly acting as their pawns, which is despised by other regional countries.”
