China has accused the Philippines of breaching its territory, saying two supply ships were blocked by Beijing’s coast guard as they approached a disputed shoal. Manila protested over the run-in, citing its own claim to the area.
The two Philippines vessels “trespassed” into waters near the Nansha island chain – also known as the Spratly Islands – on November 16, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan told reporters on Friday, noting that they entered the area “without China’s consent.”
Chinese coast guard vessels performed official duties in accordance with law and upheld China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order. The area is now generally tranquil and that the two countries are in communication about the encounter.
The comments from Beijing come just one day after Manila first publicized the incident, with the Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin claiming Chinese vessels fired water cannon on the two supply boats and forced them to abandon their mission near a disputed shoal in the Spratlys.
He called on China to “back off” and “take heed” of Philippines claims to the region.
While both countries regard the Ayungin shoal – alternatively referred to as the Second Thomas or Renai Jiao shoal – as their own territory, The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration settled the dispute in the Philippines’ favor in 2016.
However, despite that ruling, as well as the fact that Manila has maintained a presence on the shoal since 1999, Beijing has not abandoned its claims to the area.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point Shipping News 2021.
Guantanamo was “Stolen at gunpoint in 1903 by USA”. Not by a Referendum as in the Crimea. And the USA is still there….why ?
A lot of Filipino are extremely proud of their “Spanish heritage” and forgotten how their ancestors were forced to disregard their own culture and convert to Christianity..
Their education preaches Chinese as imperialists and Muslims as terrorists and Americans as liberators.
The horror show must go on?
Philippinos stole the Chinese Shoal by setting the aged Warships on it and then claimed that area belong to Philippines. But China now won’ t give up what our ancestors left to us
Its all about the very lucrative mineral prospects that are kept as the bottom of the sea?
Firing water canons only seems strange because it is non-violent and is not the way Americans would do it.
The Yanks rather use chemical weapons such as tear gas on people?
China has historical claims to the area.
Is that so?