WORDS, warnings, and what else.
These appear on the bulletin boards in the escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, despite efforts by Manila to de-escalate tensions in what is seen as a new regional flashpoint.
On Sunday BRP Datu Sanday sailed to Escoda Shoal within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone to provide fuel and food supply to Filipino fishermen near the low tide elevation in the West Philippine Sea, the closest feature to Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, where the makeshift military outpost BRP Sierra Madre has been aground since 1999.
We agree with the Task Force of the West Philippine Sea that China’s “unprofessional, aggressive and illegal actions pose serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and fishermen they were meant to serve.”
At least eight China Coast Guard vessels shadowed the Philippine ship as early as 10 a.m. on Sunday, which followed an Aug. 19 incident when Chinese Coast Guard ships used dangerous maneuvers against two Philippine Coast Guard ships also conducting a resupply mission.
China’s Coast Guard said it rescued Filipino “personnel” who fell overboard after claiming a Philippine vessel “deliberately” collided with one of its ships near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, a claim the Philippines denied as “completely unfounded.”
The two nations have had repeated confrontations in the waters in recent months, and on Saturday Manila accused China of twice firing flares at one of its patrol aircraft.
China has continued to press its claims to almost the entire sea, and has ignored a 2016 international tribunal ruling its assertions and claims over nearly the entire South China Sea have no legal basis.
It has intensified its aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea – while the Philippines steps up efforts to de-escalate tensions in the waterway – despite a stream of condemnation from other nations.
China also routinely accused the Philippines of raising tensions in the West Philippine Sea and has warned nations from outside the region from getting involved.
Then China warned the United States has “no right to intervene” in its maritime disputes with the Philippines.
Bizarre, if ridiculous. Then who has the right?
The United States and Japan called on China not to increase tensions after the use of flares against a Philippine fisheries aircraft in the West Philippine Sea on Aug. 19 and 22.
In a statement via X, US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said her country stands with the Philippines and condemns China’s launching of flares and called on Beijing to stop provocative and dangerous actions that undermine a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya also said Tokyo opposes dangerous actions which increase tensions and undermine the safety of Philippine activities and urged China to uphold rules-based order and peaceful settlement of disputes based on the international law.
Words, words, words.
