A China Coast Guard ship (left) cutting into the path of the BRP Datu Sanday of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on May 22 in the waters near Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea. A smaller Chinese vessel is seen on the right). — PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD
MANILA: Several of the Philippines’ allies have expressed grave concern over China’s recent use of water cannons and a sideswiping manoeuvre against a Philippine vessel on a routine scientific mission near Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
In separate statements on Friday (May 23), foreign ambassadors condemned the incident, describing it as “reckless.”
United States Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) aggressive actions against a “lawful civilian mission” near Sandy Cay recklessly endangered lives and threatened regional stability.
Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador in the Philippines Kazuya Endo said he is “very concerned about the dangerous actions, including use of water cannons against the BFAR vessel.”
“Japan upholds the rule of law and stands firm in defending a Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” he added.
European Union (EU) Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro said he is also concerned about China’s “latest dangerous actions against Philippine civilian scientific vessels.”
“The EU stands with the Philippines and reiterates the importance of upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the rules-based international order, including the 2016 South China Sea arbitration,” he added.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu echoed these concerns, saying that Australia shares the Philippines’ deep concern over the CCG’s dangerous actions near Sandy Cay.
“Using water cannons and sideswiping civilian Philippine vessels endangers lives and harms regional stability. International law, particularly Unclos, must be respected,” she said.
Meanwhile, the embassies of New Zealand and Canada in the Philippines expressed alarm and concern over China’s dangerous actions within Philippine territory.
On May 22, a CCG vessel blasted water cannons and sideswiped a Philippine ship conducting a routine marine scientific research mission near Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea.
China accused the Philippines of “conducting illegal activities” in the area, which it called Zhubi Jiao and Tiexian Jiao.
China claimed that the Philippines’ actions violated its territorial sovereignty and urged Manila to “cease such infringements immediately.”
“Without approval from the Chinese government, two Philippine official ships illegally entered waters off China’s Zhubi Jiao and Tiexian Jiao on Wednesday, with some personnel unlawfully landing on Tiexian Jiao,” CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun said on Friday.
“CCG enforcement personnel have taken measures against the ships, landing on the reef to deal with the situation in a professional, standard, reasonable, and legal manner,” he added.
China’s continued aggression in Philippine waters stems from its sweeping claims over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea—claims that have long been rejected by an international arbitral tribunal. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
