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South China Sea
This Week in AsiaPolitics

South China Sea: Philippines slams Beijing for ‘dangerous manoeuvres’, raising tensions

  • The Philippine government condemns ‘dangerous manoeuvres, including ramming and towing’ by China’s navy, coastguard and militia

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Two Chinese inflatable boats manoeuvring close to Philippine boats near the Philippine outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea on May 19. Photo: Handout
Raissa Robles
The Philippines has condemned China’s ships for engaging in “dangerous manoeuvres, including ramming and towing” to disrupt its “routine” resupply mission to a vessel grounded by Manila on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

Referring to the resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal, Manila’s name for the reef, the statement on Monday by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea slammed the actions of the vessels of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy, the Chinese coastguard and Chinese maritime militia.

Eduardo Año, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s national security adviser who chairs the Task Force, said in the statement that the mission was a success. “Our personnel showed restraint and professionalism, refrained from escalating the tension, and carried on with their mission.”
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On Monday, the Chinese coastguard released a statement saying the Philippine vessel had “dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation unprofessionally, resulting in a collision”.

In response, Philippine military spokesman Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said: “We will not dignify the deceptive and misleading claims of the China coastguard.”

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It was the third time since August that the Chinese coastguard has accused a Philippine vessel of deliberately causing a collision.

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