South China Sea: Manila dares Beijing to arbitrate claim ‘if China is not afraid’, summons Chinese envoy over stand-off

The Philippines has accused China’s coastguard of using water cannon against a civilian boat, damaging it and injuring some crew

On Monday, Manila said it summoned a Chinese envoy over the ‘aggressive actions’, as the defence minister challenged Beijing to arbitrate its claim

Reading Time:3 minutes

99+

A still from aerial footage taken on Saturday by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shows a Chinese coastguard ship and “Chinese maritime militia” vessels surrounding a PCG ship on a resupply mission. Photo: PCG/Handout via AFP

Published: 2:04pm, 25 Mar 2024Updated: 2:40pm, 25 Mar 2024

The Philippines’ defence minister on Monday dared China to take its claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea to international arbitration following another stand-off at the weekend, but said Manila would not budge on its position.

It came as Manila said it had summoned a Chinese envoy over “aggressive actions” by the China Coast Guard and other vessels near a reef off the Southeast Asian country’s coast.

The Philippines has accused China’s coastguard of using water cannon against a civilian boat supplying troops stationed on a grounded warship at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, damaging the resupply boat and injuring some crew, the latest in a succession of flare-ups in the past year.

A still from footage provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines shows a Chinese coastguard ship using a water cannon on a Philippine resupply vessel on Saturday. Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

“If China is not afraid to state its claims to the world, then why don’t we arbitrate under international law?,” Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told reporters on Monday.

China’s coastguard said it took necessary measures against the Philippine vessels. China’s defence ministry on Sunday told the Philippines to cease “provocative actions” and comments that may lead to conflict and an escalation.

The Philippines’ national security adviser convened a high-level meeting of top security officials on Monday over the incident, to prepare recommendations to put to President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on ways forward in the dispute.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines’ 200-mile (320km) exclusive economic zone.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x