China has renewed its demand for the Philippines to remove a grounded World War II warship from a reef in the disputed South China Sea, after a Chinese coast guard vessel fired water cannon at a Philippine boat carrying supplies to the Filipino troops stationed on the ship. The incident has sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries and drawn international condemnation.
China claims sovereignty over Second Thomas Shoal
The BRP Sierra Madre, a former US Navy ship that was deliberately grounded by the Philippines in 1999 to serve as a makeshift military base, is located on the Second Thomas Shoal, a coral reef that lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). China, however, also claims sovereignty over the reef, which it calls Ren’ai Reef, and has repeatedly demanded that the Philippines remove the ship and restore the reef to its “unoccupied state”.
On Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry said that it had communicated with the Philippines on the issue “many times” through diplomatic channels, but its “goodwill and sincerity” had been “ignored”. “The Philippine side has repeatedly made clear promises to tow away the warship illegally ‘stranded’ on the reef,” a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said. “Twenty-four years have passed, the Philippine side has not only failed to tow away the warship, but also attempted to repair and reinforce it on a large scale to achieve permanent occupation of the Ren’ai Reef.”
Philippines vows to defend its post on Second Thomas Shoal
The Philippines, on the other hand, has asserted its right to maintain its presence on the Second Thomas Shoal, which it calls Ayungin Shoal, and accused China of violating its sovereignty and maritime rights. On Saturday, a Chinese coast guard ship blocked and used water cannon against a Philippine boat that was delivering food, water, fuel and other supplies to the Philippine marines stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre. The Philippine coast guard said that the Chinese ship also made “dangerous maneuvers” in front of its vessels that were escorting the resupply boat.
The Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest against China over the incident, calling it “a blatant infringement of Philippine sovereignty”. Jonathan Malaya, the assistant director general of the Philippine National Security Council, said that the Philippines would “never abandon our post in Ayungin Shoal”. “We urge China not to escalate matters by water cannons or military-grade lasers, which places Philippines lives at risk, but by sincere negotiations and other diplomatic means,” Malaya said.
US and other countries condemn China’s actions in South China Sea
The US, which is a treaty ally of the Philippines, also expressed its concern over China’s actions in the South China Sea and reaffirmed its commitment to defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack. “We stand with our ally, the Philippines, regarding concerns about maritime security in the South China Sea,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Sunday. “We share concerns by our Philippine allies regarding reports of dangerous maneuvers by PRC maritime militia near Second Thomas Shoal. We reiterate our pledge to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Other countries, such as Australia, Japan and India, have also voiced their support for the Philippines and called for peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law. The South China Sea is one of the world’s busiest waterways, where about $3 trillion worth of trade passes every year. It is also rich in natural resources, such as fish and oil and gas. China claims almost all of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory, but its claims are contested by several other countries, including Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.
