The Philippines and China traded sharp accusations on Wednesday over a maritime confrontation near the contested Scarborough Shoal, highlighting ongoing tensions in the South China Sea. Both nations provided conflicting accounts of the incident, underscoring their deep-seated territorial disputes.
The Chinese Coast Guard accused four Philippine ships of intruding into its claimed waters around the Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing calls Huangyan Island.
“Philippine ships had dangerously approached our normal law enforcement patrol vessels,” said Liu Dejun, a Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson. Liu claimed that one Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings, engaging in actions that “seriously threatened the safety of a Chinese coast guard vessel.”
Liu issued a stern warning: “We warn the Philippines to immediately stop infringement, provocation, and propaganda, otherwise it will be responsible for all consequences.”
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) disputed China’s narrative, alleging that Chinese navy and coastguard ships engaged in aggressive maneuvers against a routine patrol by Philippine vessels and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
A PCG spokesperson detailed that Chinese vessels used a water cannon, sideswiped a PCG vessel, and employed “blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers” against Philippine ships.
The incident comes weeks after China submitted nautical charts to the United Nations asserting its claim over the Scarborough Shoal. China has drawn territorial baselines around the shoal, which the Philippines refers to as Bajo de Masinloc, describing the submission as a “legitimate activity to defend territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.”
Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council, criticized China’s actions, stating:
“It looks like a reinforcement of (China’s) baseless claim over Bajo de Masinloc following their submission of their alleged baselines.”
The Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing area and a strategic flashpoint, is claimed by both nations. Manila insists on adhering to the 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which invalidated China’s sweeping claims over most of the South China Sea—a decision Beijing does not recognize.
The Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), continue to negotiate a code of conduct with China for the South China Sea. However, disagreements persist over aligning it with UNCLOS principles.
The Scarborough Shoal incident adds another layer of complexity to these negotiations and underscores the need for mechanisms to manage disputes in the contested waters.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
