HEADLINE-GEOPOLITICS | RESUPPLY MISSION: MANILA- Chinese ships block Philippine-PH boats
This photo taken on August 22, 2023 shows Chinese coast guard ships (L and R) corralling a Philippine civilian boat chartered by the Philippine navy to deliver supplies to Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre in the disputed South China Sea. A team of AFP journalists on board the BRP Cabra, one of the two Philippine Coast Guard escort boats, watched as one of the Chinese ships came within several meters of the vessel. AFP was one of three media outlets given the rare opportunity to join the Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal, less than three weeks after Chinese coast guard ships water cannoned a similar replenishment operation. Ted ALJIBE / AFP
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ABOARD THE BRP CABRA: As a US military surveillance plane circled overhead, eight Chinese ships chased and briefly blocked four Philippine boats on a resupply mission to a tiny garrison in the hotly contested South China Sea.
The high seas cat-and-mouse game on Tuesday followed assurances from Chinese coast guard vessels patrolling the waters that Philippine boats would be allowed to deliver provisions to the remote outpost on Second Thomas Shoal “in the spirit of humanism.”
But, the Chinese radio operator warned, the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels escorting the two boats carrying supplies for Filipino marines stationed on a crumbling navy ship grounded atop the reef should leave or “bear full responsibility for all the consequences.”
A team of Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists on board the BRP Cabra, one of the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels, watched as the Chinese vessels chased, blocked and corralled the four Philippine vessels.
One of the Chinese coast guard ships came within several meters of the Cabra.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingEventually, both supply boats reached the marooned BRP Sierra Madre and unloaded their cargo.
AFP was one of three media outlets given the rare opportunity to join the Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal, less than three weeks after Chinese coast guard ships used water cannon against a similar resupply operation.
That incident, on August 5, prevented one of the Philippine resupply boats from unloading and sparked a diplomatic spat between Manila and Beijing.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually, and has ignored an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Philippines rejects China’s humanitarian claims in Ayungin mission
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China deploys hundreds of vessels to patrol the South China Sea and its reefs, and Manila says China’s coast guard and navy ships routinely block or shadow Philippine boats there.
Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometers from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
The Philippine Navy deliberately grounded the World War 2-era BRP Sierra Madre on the reef in 1999 to check China’s advance in the waters.
‘We don’t need permission’
As this week’s resupply mission got underway on Monday, Chinese vessels patrolling the South China Sea appeared to be maneuvering into position soon after the boats left Palawan.
The Philippine coast guard vessels joined up with the two resupply boats at Sabina Shoal, claimed by Manila, on Monday evening, as more than a dozen Chinese boats, including a coast guard ship, floated nearby.
The lone Chinese coast guard vessel trailed the Philippine vessels as the resupply mission sailed through the night for the final 60-kilometer leg of their journey to Second Thomas Shoal.
It was joined by three Chinese coast guard ships soon after daybreak on Tuesday, sailing alongside the resupply mission.
The voice of a radio operator on board one of the Chinese coast guard ships crackled over the airwaves a short time later, declaring China’s “indisputable authority” over the Spratly Islands.
“In the spirit of humanism, we only permit your ship carrying food and other necessary living materials and the rotating personnel without construction materials to the illegally grounded vessel,” the voice said.
Filipino troops stationed on the rusting hulk depend on the supplies for survival.
While the latest resupply mission was successful, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commo. Jay Tarriela told reporters Wednesday that the Chinese ships, including “maritime militia,” had used “a lot of dangerous maneuvers” to harass the Philippine vessels.
He dismissed the Chinese coast guard’s claims of “humanitarian consideration” in allowing the delivery of supplies.
“We don’t need permission from anybody,” he said.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner said the incident proves that China is flexing its muscles in the entire South China Sea.
Brawner shared a video showing a Chinese vessel preparing to use its water cannon.
“The mere fact that you started the pump of the water cannon and ready to use it is something. Maybe they are warning us to stop,” he said.
“Though it was not fired, we can say they were sending us signals that we’re here and ready to use our water cannons against you,” he added.
Temporary arrangements?
Liu Dejun, spokesman for the China Coast Guard (CCG), said they granted the Philippine supply ships access to Ren’ai Jiao, which is what China calls Ayungin Shoal, because the vessels did not carry “illegal building materials for large-scale reinforcement.”
“Temporary special arrangements have been made for the Philippines to deliver food and other necessary daily necessities to the grounded warship from a humanitarian point of view,” Liu said in a statement posted on the official website of the CCG.
He confirmed the China Coast Guard issued stern warnings to Philippine ships, “followed them all the way, and effectively regulated them.”
He reiterated that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha (Spratly) Islands, including Ren’ai Jiao, and its adjacent waters, and firmly opposes the Philippines “taking the opportunity to transport building materials to the grounded warship illegally.”
“The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction according to law,” Liu said.
Meanwhile, Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian said at the 9th Manila Forum on China-Philippines Relations held at the New Era University in Quezon City on Tuesday that there are two prevailing trends in the Asia-Pacific region.
The first is strengthening solidarity and cooperation and promoting regional economic integration, while the second is “inciting division and confrontation in an attempt to revive the Cold War mentality.”
“China and the Philippines, as important countries in this region, should follow the trend of the times, maintain strategic autonomy, explore a path tailored to security interests in Asia and in the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries and people of the region at large, and jointly safeguard the regional peace dividend,” the Chinese envoy said.
Huang said that China “will never follow the path of hegemony and power politics, protecting one’s own security at the expense of the security of others.”
“Instead, China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order,” he said.
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