MANILA. The Philippines announced on Saturday that it had suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea following reports of “harassment” and aggressive actions by China’s coast guard and navy against its fisheries vessels.
This incident adds to a growing series of confrontations between Manila and Beijing over disputed waters in the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the strategic waterway, through which $3 trillion of global commerce passes annually, a claim that overlaps with the territorial disputes involving the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
On Friday, two vessels from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which were en route to collect sand samples from Sandy Cay near Thitu Island—currently occupied by the Philippines—were met with “aggressive manoeuvres” by three Chinese Coast Guard vessels, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The PCG further reported that four Chinese boats were deployed to “harass” two Philippine inflatable boats used to transport personnel to Sandy Cay. Additionally, a Chinese navy helicopter hovered over the vessels at an “unsafe altitude,” increasing concerns over safety during the mission.
As a result of the “continuous harassment” and the safety risks posed by the Chinese forces, the Philippine Coast Guard announced that the survey operations were suspended.
The Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to respond to a request for comment on the incident.
This development comes shortly after a round of talks between Manila and Beijing on January 16, where both sides agreed to seek common ground and explore cooperation despite ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.
In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal ruled that China’s extensive claims, based on historic maps, have no legal standing under international law—a decision that Beijing has refused to acknowledge.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
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- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
