Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over South China Sea collisions

The two collisions happened on Sunday during a Philippine resupply mission to troops stationed on a naval vessel grounded on Second Thomas Shoal

It came as Manila’s defence chief on Monday claimed the Chinese ships had ‘harassed and intentionally hit’ Philippine vessels in violation of the law

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A Chinese coastguard ship with bow number 5203 is seen after colliding with a Philippine resupply boat near Second Thomas Shoal on Sunday in this still from a video. Photo: Philippine Armed Forces Handout via EPA-EFE

Published: 11:32am, 23 Oct 2023Updated: 5:11pm, 23 Oct 2023

Manila summoned Beijing’s ambassador on Monday over two collisions between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea, amid accusations the vessels were “intentionally hit”.

The Philippines and China have traded blame over Sunday’s incidents near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, with both sides filing diplomatic protests and releasing videos to support their accusations.

The two collisions on Sunday happened during a Philippine resupply mission to troops stationed on a crumbling naval vessel grounded on the shoal in 1999 to assert Manila’s territorial claims.

The Philippine foreign ministry summoned China’s ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, and lodged a diplomatic protest on Monday over the incident. Ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza said the ambassador, who was last summoned in August after Chinese coastguard ships used water cannon on Philippine vessels, was unavailable and was represented by his deputy chief of mission, Zhou Zhiyong.

Resupply boats are seen anchored in 2021 at the crumbling Philippine naval vessel BRP Sierra Madre, grounded on Second Thomas Shoal in the contested Spratly Islands. Photo: Department National Defence Philippines Handout / AFP

A Chinese diplomat made “solemn representations … expressing strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the trespassing” by Philippine vessels into the Ren’ai Reef area, China’s embassy in Manila said, using China’s name for the shoal.