MANILA: On Sunday, August 25, the Philippines and China engaged in combat in the South China Sea’s disputed waters over what Manila claimed to be a fisherman’s resupply mission. This was the most recent in a string of naval and aerial encounters in the vital waterway.
Following months of confrontations, including a violent altercation in June that resulted in a Filipino sailor losing a finger, the incident casts a shadow over efforts by both countries to regain trust and better manage disputes.
While China’s coast guard claimed it had taken “control measures” against a vessel that had “illegally” entered the waters and repeatedly approached Chinese ships in a dangerous manner, the Philippines accused China of using “aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres” to obstruct the resupply mission.
The Philippine South China Sea task force reported that Chinese vessels rammed and used water cannons against a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries ship that was carrying fuel, food, and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen in the incident near Sabina Shoal.
Nearly the whole South China Sea is claimed by China, except for regions that Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Taiwan also claim. Beijing has defended its claims with a fleet of ships.
