At least eight Filipino navy personnel were injured this week – including one who lost a thumb – in a confrontation with the Chinese coast guard while, delivering food and other supplies to a military outpost at a disputed South China Sea shoal, Philippine security officials said.
The Philippine foreign ministry denounced what it described as China’s “illegal and aggressive” actions, adding that “dialogue and consultation” could not be achieved if “China’s words do not match their actions on the waters.”
The shoal is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent on board a long-grounded warship – the Sierra Madre – that has been closely monitored by China’s coast guard and navy in a years-long territorial standoff. China has become increasingly assertive in pressing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which has led to a rising number of direct conflicts with other countries in the region, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam.
Two Philippine security officials with knowledge of the supply mission at the shoal told the Associated Press that on Monday, two rubber boats staffed by Filipino navy personnel had approached the Sierra Madre to deliver fresh supplies when several Chinese coast guard personnel on speedboats arrived to disrupt the mission, sparking a scuffle and collisions.
At least eight of the Filipinos were injured, including one who lost a thumb, said one of the two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were under orders not to discuss the high-seas confrontation publicly.
Five of the injured sailors were rescued by one of two Philippine coast guard patrol ships that were waiting at a distance to back up the navy’s supply mission at the shoal. The two rubber supply boats were towed away by Chinese coast guard personnel and then abandoned after being damaged and emptied of their contents, the two officials said.
The Chinese coast guard gave a different version of the events and said the Philippines “is entirely responsible for this.” It said a Philippine vessel “ignored China’s repeated solemn warnings … and dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.”
China’s foreign ministry said the supply ship was accompanied by two Philippine speedboats that were attempting to deliver construction materials and other supplies to the Sierra Madre. It described the Chinese coast guard’s actions as “professional, restrained, reasonable and lawful.”
In response to the incident, the US warned that it was obliged to defend the Philippines, a treaty ally.
Several other incidents have occurred in recent months near Second Thomas Shoal, which is less than 370km from the Philippine coast and is where the Sierra Madre, now encrusted with rust, was deliberately grounded in 1999 to create a territorial outpost.
The ship remains an actively commissioned military vessel, meaning an attack on it could be considered by the Philippines as an act of war.
A new Chinese law which took effect Saturday authorises its coast guard to seize foreign ships “that illegally enter China’s territorial waters” and to detain foreign crews for up to 60 days. The law renewed a reference to 2021 legislation that says China’s coast guard can fire upon foreign ships if necessary.