Titan Clash: Tensions Escalate in the South China Sea as Chinese and Philippine Vessels Collide
In a tense turn of events, two collisions between Chinese and Philippine ships occurred on Sunday during a mission to resupply Filipino troops stationed in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. While both countries are pointing fingers at each other for the incidents, the United States has condemned Beijing’s “dangerous actions.”
The collisions took place in the Spratly Islands, approximately 25 kilometers from Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippine Navy is stationed and where China has deployed ships to assert its claims over most of the maritime territory.
The Philippine government’s intervention force criticized the “dangerous blocking maneuvers” of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5203, blaming it for the collision with the contracted supply boat of the Philippine Armed Forces.
China, on the other hand, described the collision as “minor,” stating that the Filipino boat had ignored “multiple warnings” and deliberately crossed the Chinese law enforcement vessel in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, according to the state television CCTV, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In another incident, a Philippine Coast Guard ship escorting the resupply mission was “rammed” by what Manila referred to as a “Chinese maritime militia ship.” Beijing, however, accused the Philippine vessel of deliberately causing the collision by reversing “in a premeditated manner” towards a Chinese fishing vessel.
A video released by the Philippine military shows a brief collision between the bow of the Chinese Coast Guard ship and the stern of the Philippine resupply vessel. The Philippine ship continued its journey without any visible damage.
Following the incidents, Manila summoned the Chinese ambassador. “We are fully utilizing the diplomatic mechanisms at our disposal. This includes summoning the Chinese ambassador, which we did this morning,” said Teresita Daza, a spokesperson for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
The United States, as an ally of the Philippines, has expressed its support for Manila and denounced the “dangerous actions” and “violation of international law” by the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia in a statement from the State Department.
The Second Thomas Shoal is located approximately 200 kilometers from the Philippine island of Palawan and over 1,000 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese island, Hainan.
In 1999, the Philippines intentionally grounded a military ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, on the shoal to establish a forward outpost and assert its sovereignty claims against China. The ship has since been a source of tension between Beijing and Manila. The Philippine Marine Corps members on board depend on resupply missions for their survival.
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, disregarding the rival claims of countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and ignoring a 2016 international ruling against its claims.
Officials and experts have warned of the risks of collisions in the region. “This is exactly the kind of event that can happen given their dangerous maneuvers,” said Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.
Batongbacal suggested that the Chinese Coast Guard intentionally collided with the Philippine resupply vessel to test the determination of the United States and gauge Manila’s response. “You don’t accidentally collide with another ship in the open sea,” he emphasized.
The recurring and escalating incidents continue to raise concerns among long-standing allies of the Philippines, such as the United States and the European Union, about the situation in the South China Sea and China’s assertive actions.
As tensions persist, the potential consequences of such collisions and ongoing disputes in the region necessitate careful diplomatic navigation to avoid further escalations and maintain stability in the South China Sea.