ABOARD BRP SINDANGAN. Following a tense confrontation between Chinese and Philippine ships resulting in injuries to Filipino navy personnel, the Philippines asserts its determination to retain control of a military outpost on a fiercely contested South China Sea shoal, a navy official stated Wednesday.
Philippine officials lodged a strong protest with a Chinese Embassy diplomat in Manila after the altercation Tuesday near Second Thomas Shoal. Since the 1990s, a small Filipino navy contingent has maintained a presence on a grounded warship at the shoal, serving as an outpost.
In response to Tuesday’s incident, Washington reaffirmed its commitment to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, in the event of any armed attack in the South China Sea.
Philippine navy Commodore Roy Trinidad emphasized that Filipino forces will resist any attempt to construct structures in another disputed area, Scarborough Shoal, labeling these actions as “red lines” for the Philippines.
“The administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte established those ‘red lines,’ delineating actions by China and other rival claimant states that would provoke strong Philippine resistance,” Trinidad stated during a news conference in Manila.
The altercation occurred as Chinese vessels shadowed and blocked two Philippine coast guard ships escorting civilian motorboats to deliver supplies and personnel to the BRP Sierra Madre, a deliberately grounded navy warship at Second Thomas Shoal.
China also claims the area and has surrounded it with coast guard, navy, and suspected militia ships, preventing Filipino forces from reinforcing the Sierra Madre.
During the confrontation, a Chinese coast guard vessel collided with the Philippine patrol ship BRP Sindangan, witnessed by journalists aboard. Another Chinese ship later collided with a supply boat escorted by the Philippine coast guard, leading to minor injuries to four navy personnel.
The incidents underscore the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, with Washington condemning China’s actions and reaffirming its support for the Philippines. Australia and Japan also expressed concern over the confrontations.
Efforts to lower tensions have been made, including meetings between Chinese and Philippine officials, but recent events highlight the challenges in resolving maritime disputes peacefully.
“We demand that they match their words with their actions,” stated Jonathan Malaya of the National Security Council during a news conference in Manila, addressing China’s role in reducing tensions in the region.
With inputs from agencies.
