'Aggressive Maneuvers': Philippines Reports Damage To Two Ships In Collisions With Chinese Vessels

The Philippine government has said that two of its coast guard ships were damaged in collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting “unlawful and aggressive manoeuvres” near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard vessels’ actions near Sabina Shoal before dawn on Monday “resulted in collisions causing structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard vessels”, Manila’s National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement.

‘Aggressive’ Chinese manoeuvres

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general for the Philippine government’s National Security Council, said the BRP Cape Engano sustained a 13-centimetre hole in its right beam after the “aggressive manoeuvres” by a China Coast Guard vessel led to a collision at 3:24 am (local time). The collision occurred 43 kilometres southeast of Sabina Shoal, he said.

Second Philippine ship

A second Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Bagacay, was “rammed twice” on both sides by a China coast guard vessel at 3:40 am and suffered “minor structural damage”, Malaya said, reading from a statement. The second collision occurred 39 kilometres northwest of Sabina, he added. The Filipino crew were unhurt and proceeded with their mission to resupply Philippine-garrisoned islands in the Spratly group, Malaya said.

On Monday, China’s Coast Guard said a Philippine vessel that had ignored its repeated warnings “deliberately collided” with a Chinese vessel in an “unprofessional and dangerous” manner in the disputed sea. A short video of the incident posted on China Coast Guard’s social media showed the collision happened around 3:24 am on Monday and labelled the Chinese vessel as a coast guard vessel.

What China Said

China’s maritime security said the same Philippine vessel then entered waters near Second Thomas Shoal after being prevented from entering Sabina Shoal waters. Two Philippine Coast Guard vessels “illegally intruded” into waters adjacent to Sabina Shoal without permission in the early hours on Monday, according to the China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu.

“The Philippines has repeatedly provoked and caused trouble, violated the temporary arrangements between China and the Philippines,” Gan said, referring to Philippines’ supplies missions to a vessel grounded on Second Thomas Shoal.  China’s Coast Guard said it took control measures against the Philippine ships in accordance with the law in the incidents early Monday, and warned the Philippines to “immediately stop infringement and provocation” or “bear all consequences”.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, including both shoals, rejecting a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that Beijing’s expansive claims had no basis under international law. Western nations have criticised China for aggression in blocking Philippine efforts to resupply troops aboard a navy ship it intentionally grounded more than two decades ago. Last month, China and the Philippines reached a “provisional agreement” after repeated altercations near the Second Thomas Shoal.

(With agency inputs)