Philippine vessel boarded by armed Chinese coastguard at the disputed shoal.
Tensions have flared again in the disputed South China Sea after the Philippine military accused Chinese coastguard personnel of boarding two resupply vessels servicing Filipino troops and damaging the boats.
Manila says the incident occurred on June 17th as its soldiers were conducting a routine mission to provide supplies and relief to their navy personnel stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre – a ship intentionally grounded on Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert Philippine sovereignty.
According to reports, multiple Chinese coastguard vessels intercepted the two Philippine boats and embarked with personnel reportedly wielding knives and staff. A confrontation is said to have ensued with some of the Filipino troops fighting back empty-handed against the armed boarders.
One Philippine sailor was left badly injured during the melee, while both resupply vessels also sustained damages before being forced to retreat. The armed boarding has prompted strong condemnation from Manila which labeled the act as “pirate-like” and a violation of their sovereignty.
However, Beijing has rejected the allegations, maintaining its coastguards had conducted a “professional and restrained” law enforcement operation to intercept what it views as an “illegal” resupply. It also accused the Philippines of transporting “construction materials and even weapons” in the area.
The latest flare-up at the contested Second Thomas Shoal comes amid already frayed relations between the two countries over their conflicting territorial claims in the potentially resource-rich waterway. China claims that the majority of the South China Sea falls within its so-called ‘nine-dash line’, invalidated by an international tribunal but still presses ahead with its vast claims.
With tensions high, Manila has pushed for dialogue with Beijing to resolve their disputes peacefully. However, many view incidents such as these as counterproductive to easing tensions, raising doubts over China’s sincerity toward finding a diplomatic solution. As rival claimants butt heads, the risk of an unpredictable escalation in the South China Sea situation persists.
