Armed Forces of Philippines General Romeo Bawner has accused the Chinese army of instigating hostilities in the disputed South China Sea. He claimed that the Chinese Coast Guard personnel jammed into the Philippine boats on purpose and then boarded the boats, further seizing weapons from the crew. The intruders were armed with swords, spears and knives. This skirmish took place as the Philippine Coast Guard were delivering supplies to their troops stationed in the Second Thomas Shoal. China however, has denied all allegations and said that its personnel were ‘restrained.’
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General Bawner also elaborated that one of his men had lost their thumb when the Chinese vessel rammed into their boat. “We saw in the video how the Chinese even threatened our personnel by pointing their knives at our personnel,” he said. “They have no right or legal authority to hijack our operations and destroy Philippine vessels operating within our exclusive economic zone”. He labeled this event as ‘piracy.’
China however dismissed all of the blame. It defended its actions by saying that its personnel were attempting to stop an “illegal transportation” of supplies and that “no direct measure” was taken against the Philippine Coast Guard. Their spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters that “Law enforcement measures taken by the China Coast Guard at the site were professional and restrained.”
Brief Background of the Conflict
The conflict between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea centers on territorial disputes over islands and maritime boundaries. China claims almost the entire South China Sea under its “nine-dash line” map, which overlaps with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone as defined by international law. The Philippines has sought international arbitration, and in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, rejecting China’s expansive claims. Despite this ruling, China has continued to build military installations on artificial islands, leading to ongoing tensions and confrontations in the region.
The reported incident occurred near the Filipino outpost in Second Thomas Shoal where the country has grounded a navy ship to enforce its claim on the region. The ship is inhabited by a few soldiers who regularly require rations. The aggression by China is explained by observers as an attempt to choke supplies to the outpost which could lead to its collapse and the resurgence of Chinese claim on the area.
Response by the USA
The USA has constantly stressed its adherence to the 1951 mutual defense treaty which mandates the US to defend the Philippines if attacked by a third party and vice versa. In accordance it strictly condemned China’s actions in the conflict laden region. In a post on X, MaryKay Carlson who is Washington’s Ambassador to Manila said that the ‘US condemned China’s aggressive, dangerous maneuvers which caused bodily injury and damaged Philippine vessels.’
