Will China-Philippines tensions make other South China Sea claimants more likely to speak up?

Name: Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at its vessels in disputed waters
Uploaded: 2023-08-13T04:00:15.000Z
Duration: 2 min 13 s
Description: Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at its vessels in disputed waters

Southeast Asian neighbours may look on with unease at recent incidents between Manila and Beijing, says academic

The tensions arise amid discussions over a South China Sea code of conduct and may be a factor in negotiations

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Filipino protesters demonstrate in front of the Chinese consulate office in Makati city, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Dewey Sim

Published: 12:00pm, 13 Aug 2023

A clash between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea last weekend will make Southeast Asian nations a little anxious but it may make some governments more likely to speak up against Beijing’s actions if tensions escalate, observers said.

Chinese coastguard ships intercepted and fired water cannons on August 5 to warn off a Philippine vessel that was carrying supplies for Filipino troops stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal in the contested Spratly Islands.

Manila summoned the Chinese envoy to the Philippines over the incident and called China’s actions “illegal” and “dangerous”, while its long-time ally the United States said the actions directly threatened regional peace and stability.

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Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at its vessels in disputed waters

China said it had implemented “necessary controls” to stop the Philippine ships, and that Beijing had “indisputable” sovereignty over the Spratly Islands.

It also claimed that the Philippine ships had “disregarded China’s repeated dissuasion and warnings and attempted to transfer construction materials used for maintaining and repairing the ship, which has been grounded on the shoal illegally”.

The Second Thomas Shoal is controlled by Manila but also claimed by Hanoi, Taipei and Beijing, which also claims the resource-rich South China Sea waterway almost in its entirety.

A Chinese Coast Guard ship launches what it says is a warning water cannon spray in the direction of a Philippine vessel as seen in a screen grab from a video released on August 8. Photo: China Coast Guard

Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, said the Philippines’ neighbours were likely to have watched the incident unfold with some unease against a backdrop of repeated stand-offs between Beijing and Manila.