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Chinese turn water cannon on Philippines boat supplying garrison
来源：shippingazette 编辑：编辑部 发布：2023/08/10 08:48:19
THE Philippines has accused China's coast guard of first blocking and then using a water-cannon against Philippine supply boat in the South China Sea, Reuters reports.
The boat was en route supplying a tiny garrison stationed aboard a deliberately grounded ship that rests on a shoals over which both the Philippines and China claim sovereignty.
The Philippines Armed Forces condemned the "excessive and offensive actions" against its vessels. China's coast guard countered that it had implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law to deter Philippine ships, which it accused of trespassing and carrying illegal building materials.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, an assertion rejected internationally, while Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have claims to certain areas.
Beijing often provokes neighbours with land grabs and building islands on reefs then militarized them with missiles and runways.
The incident occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef where a handful of its troops live on a rusty World War II-era US ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999.
The Chinese coast guard's "dangerous maneuvers" prevented a second boat from unloading the supplies and completing the mission, it said.
"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 said.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu responded that China has "indisputable" sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Second Thomas Shoal.
"We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its infringing activities in these waters," Mr Gan posted on the coast guard's WeChat social media account.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concluded in 2016 that Beijing's expansive claim to the South China Sea was groundless. China maintains it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling.
The boat was en route supplying a tiny garrison stationed aboard a deliberately grounded ship that rests on a shoals over which both the Philippines and China claim sovereignty.
The Philippines Armed Forces condemned the "excessive and offensive actions" against its vessels. China's coast guard countered that it had implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law to deter Philippine ships, which it accused of trespassing and carrying illegal building materials.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, an assertion rejected internationally, while Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have claims to certain areas.
Beijing often provokes neighbours with land grabs and building islands on reefs then militarized them with missiles and runways.
The incident occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef where a handful of its troops live on a rusty World War II-era US ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999.
The Chinese coast guard's "dangerous maneuvers" prevented a second boat from unloading the supplies and completing the mission, it said.
"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 said.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu responded that China has "indisputable" sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Second Thomas Shoal.
"We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its infringing activities in these waters," Mr Gan posted on the coast guard's WeChat social media account.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concluded in 2016 that Beijing's expansive claim to the South China Sea was groundless. China maintains it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling.