China and Philippines clash again in South China Sea, accuse each other of hitting their ships

The Philippines and China on Saturday accused each other of deliberately hitting each other’s coast guard vessels in the South China Sea. According to Reuters, the coast guard vessels of both the countries on Saturday accused each other of deliberately hitting each other’s ships in the disputed South China Sea. This incident took place across the Sabina Shoal. This is the fifth maritime confrontation between the two in a month amid the long-standing animosity.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela showed video of Saturday’s collision at a press conference and said the Chinese Coast Guard Vessel 5205 “directly and deliberately rammed the Philippine vessel without any provocation.”

Coast Guard Vessel Damaged

Tarriela said the collision damaged the 97-meter (320-foot) Teresa Magbanua, the Philippines’ largest coast guard vessel, but no personnel were injured.

Tarriela said Manila would not withdraw its ship “despite harassment, intimidating activities and escalating actions by the Chinese coast guard.”

At the same time, China’s Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement that the Philippines, which was illegally stranded in the shoal, had illegally stopped its ship in the South China Sea and suddenly and deliberately hit a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. He instructed the Philippines to retreat immediately and called for facing the consequences if they did not do so.

“The Chinese coast guard vessel will take necessary measures to firmly repel all acts of provocation, nuisance and violation and safeguard the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Liu said.

3 trillion worth of trade takes place through South China Sea

Let us tell you that Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Trade worth $3 trillion takes place every year through this part of the waterway. This entire area is considered rich in oil and natural gas reserves as well as fish reserves. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China’s extensive claims had no legal basis, which Beijing rejected.

America criticized China

At the same time, the US has criticized China over this incident. The US Ambassador to the Philippines expressed Washington’s support for treaty ally Philippines. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said on the social media platform X, “The US condemns the many dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (People’s Republic of China), including today’s deliberate sabotage.”

The Philippines in April deployed a ship to Sabina Shoal, 75 nautical miles off the coast of the Philippine province of Palawan. The Philippines accused China of building an artificial island, saying it had documented piles of dead and crushed corals on the sandbar, which Beijing denies. This week the Philippine Maritime Council said Chinese aircraft conducted unsafe maneuvers against a civilian aircraft patrolling two other disputed areas, Scarborough Shoal and Subi Reef.

The Philippines on Sunday accused China of blocking a routine supply mission and said Chinese vessels rammed and sprayed water on a Bureau of Fisheries ship carrying food, fuel and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen.