China and the Philippines have blamed each other for an incident that Manila said damaged a Philippine vessel close to hotly contested islands in the South China Sea.
Why It Matters
China stakes a claim over the vast majority of the South China Sea, contested by several countries, including the Philippines. A 2016 ruling in The Hague dismissed China's historic claim to the areas in its so-called nine-dash line, which Beijing refused to accept. Tensions routinely flare between Beijing and Manila at sea in the major trade route.
What To Know
The Philippine coast guard said a Chinese ship "deliberately rammed" and fired a water cannon on the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a Philippine vessel tasked with protecting Filipino fishermen, in separate incidents that happened in quick succession from 9:15 a.m. local time on Sunday.
The incident, which happened close to Thitu Island around an hour after the Chinese vessels approached, caused "minor structural damage" to the Philippine ship, but no one was injured, the coast guard said.
Thitu Island, also referred to by many Filipinos as Pag-asa, is part of the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago that China calls Nansha Qundao. China has seven outposts on the Spratly Islands archipelago and another 20 on the Paracel Islands, north of the Spratlys, and has carried out major building work in recent years, according to analysts.
A Chinese coast guard spokesperson said the authorities had "lawfully expelled" two Philippine vessels that "illegally intruded" waters close to the Spratly Islands after what they claimed were multiple warnings. "The full responsibility lies with the Philippine side," said Liu Dejun.
Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippine coastguard, said three of the country's vessels were "safely anchored" near Thitu Island to back up Filipino fishermen. The ships "faced dangerous and provocative maneuvers" by the Chinese Coast Guard and Maritime Militia, Tarriela said. The militia is made up largely of fishing vessels that Western assessments say help Beijing stake a claim to contested waters.
Tarriela shared footage purporting to show the encounter, a Chinese-marked vessel visible approaching very close to where the video was filmed aboard another ship. In another short clip, the ship with "China Coast Guard" emblazoned on its side fires a water cannon at the vessel sporting multiple Philippine flags as crew members look on.
Newsweek could not independently verify the footage.
What People Are Saying
The Philippine Coast Guard said on Sunday: "Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions…we will not be intimidated or driven away.”
Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, said in a statement: "The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve. Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters, and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us."
Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejan, said in a statement: "We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements and provocative acts."
Newsweek