The Philippines Accuse China of Another Attack on Ships

According to the island nation’s coast guard, Chinese ships attacked several Philippine boats near the disputed Scarborough Reef with water cannons this morning (local time) and carried out dangerous maneuvers. Two boats were reportedly struck directly by water cannons, while two others were harassed to such an extent that collisions were imminent. No one was injured.

Mutual Accusations

"The Philippine Coast Guard strongly condemns the dangerous and unprofessional actions of the Chinese Coast Guard," a statement said. Scarborough Reef, located about 220 kilometers west of the Philippine main island of Luzon, is “an integral part of Philippine territory.” The agency also released videos purportedly showing the incident.

China also claims this area as its own. The Chinese Coast Guard merely stated that it had carried out “control measures” in accordance with the law against Philippine vessels that were “illegally” present in the waters.

Just last Thursday, Manila accused China of attacking a fisheries agency vessel near Scarborough Reef with water cannons. On Monday, two members of the Philippine Navy were also injured during a confrontation at Second Thomas Reef, which is also disputed.

The coral reef is part of the Spratly Islands and lies just under 200 kilometers west of the Philippine island of Palawan. The Philippines maintains a permanently staffed outpost here on a beached ship.

What are Manila and Beijing arguing about?

In the region, where incidents and even collisions between ships from both countries had occurred repeatedly in the past, things had actually been quiet for quite some time. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea as its own. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other countries reject these claims, citing a 2016 ruling by the UN arbitration tribunal. China, however, does not recognize the ruling. The resource-rich area is a major global trade route.