The Philippines summoned China’s ambassador on Monday to protest “aggressive actions” in the South China Sea, with Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro taking Beijing’s sovereignty claims to international arbitration, Reuters reported.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry accused the Chinese Coast Guard of using water cannons against a civilian ship supplying troops on the Second Thomas Shoal on Saturday, damaging the vessel and injuring several crew members.
China’s continued interference with the Philippines’ routine and lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is unacceptable. It infringes upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
The ministry also stated that the chargé d’affaires of the Chinese embassy had been summoned and a diplomatic protest was lodged in Beijing.
China’s Coast Guard claimed on Saturday that it had taken necessary measures against Filipino vessels trespassing in its waters. Beijing argues that almost the entire South China Sea belongs to it, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines’ 200-mile (320-kilometre) EEZ.
The Philippines deliberately grounded an old warship on the shoal in 1999 to reinforce its territorial claims, and had kept a small military contingent there ever since.
China deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels across the South China Sea to patrol what it considered its waters, despite the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in a case brought by Manila declaring that Beijing’s claims went against international law. China refused to accept the ruling.
Philippine security chiefs convened a high-level meeting over the incident on Monday to make recommendations to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The Philippines has made sincere efforts to implement the instruction of President Marcos and President Xi to lower tensions. China’s aggressive actions call into question its sincerity in lowering the tensions and promoting peace.”
China’s defence ministry told the Philippines to stop “provocative actions,” which could escalate the conflict.
President Marcos came to power in 2022. Since then, he has taken a tough stance against Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. Tensions have also arisen amid efforts by Marcos to deepen ties with the United States, his defence treaty ally, including greater access to bases for US troops and expanded military exercises.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro suggested on Monday that China should demonstrate the strength of its maritime claims through arbitration rather than ambiguous actions.
If China is not afraid to state its claims to the world, then why don’t we arbitrate under international law? No country believes [their claims] and they see this as their way to use force, intimidate and bend the Philippines to their ambitions.
