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South China Sea
ChinaDiplomacy

South China Sea: photos show Chinese coastguard encircled, boarded Philippine boat

  • Second Thomas Shoal resupply boat ringed by Chinese vessels in first ‘boarding inspection’ since new coastguard rules took effect

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Chinese boats including a coastguard ship intercept a Philippine resupply boat headed to the disputed Second Thomas Shoal on Monday. Photo: CCTV
Alyssa Chen
Four Chinese vessels surrounded a Philippine navy boat as coastguard crew boarded during a tense stand-off in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, photos released by Chinese state media show.

The rigid-hulled inflatable boat was on a supply mission to a grounded Philippine warship on the Second Thomas Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands claimed by both Beijing and Manila.

It was the first “boarding inspection” carried out since China introduced new law enforcement procedures for its coastguard on Saturday. The amended guideline allows the coastguard to inspect cargoes during ship checks in “Chinese territory”.
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Photos released by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday showed the Philippine supply boat surrounded by Chinese vessels, including a small coastguard ship, with several crew boarding the boat.

Manila has a handful of troops stationed on the World War II-era navy ship it deliberately grounded in 1999 to stake its claim to the Second Thomas Shoal, called Renai Jiao by China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

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Beijing says supply missions to the outpost for food and basic living items are allowed, but it draws the line at using “this as an excuse for delivering construction materials in an attempt to permanently occupy Renai Jiao”.

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