China Coast Guard Uses Water Cannons Against Philippine Vessels
The Philippines on Sunday condemned China Coast Guard latest string of incidents in the disputed waters, the third incident this year where they used water cannons against its vessels heading for a resupply mission of its men in the West Philippine Sea.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard for the West Philippine Sea, said on Saturday, August 5, the China Coast Guard (CCG)’s made another “dangerous maneuvers by illegally using water cannons” against their vessels escorting the indigenous boats chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies to military troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in West Philippine Sea.
The West Philippine Sea is the name usually used by the Philippines for the part of the South China Sea within the nation’s EEZ, where it holds exclusive rights to natural resources.
“The PCG calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident,” said Tarriela in a statement.
Tarriela stressed that CCG’s move not only disregarded the safety of the PCG crew and the supply boats, but also violated international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“We ask that China Coast Guard, as an organization with a responsibility to observe state obligations under UNCLOS, COLREGs, and other relevant instruments of international maritime safety and security, to cease all illegal activities within the maritime zones of the Philippines,” Tarriela said.
In a separate statement, Col. Medel Aguilar, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, said they expressed grave concern over CCG’s excessive and unlawful actions against Philippine vessels.
“Because of the CCG’s dangerous maneuvers, the second supply boat was not able to unload the supplies and could not complete the mission,” he said.
“We call on the China Coast Guard and the Central Military Commission to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger peoples’ lives,” Aguilar added.
At publishing time, no statement was issued by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
China’s action came after lawmakers last week unanimously adopted a resolution condemning China’s continued harassment of Filipino fishermen and its persistent incursions in the contested waters.
The resolution, which expresses the sentiment of the upper chamber but is non-binding, also urged the Philippine government “to take appropriate action in asserting and securing” the country’s sovereign rights, and “to call on China to stop its illegal activities.”
“This bipartisan effort tells the Filipino people that when it comes to matters of national sovereignty, we will never be bullied into submission,” said Sen. Risa Hontiveros, one of the senators who filed the resolution.
“The fight against China’s reckless behavior in the West Philippine Sea does not end here,” she added.
Just last month, the Philippines also accused its Chinese counterpart of dangerous maneuvers that could have caused a collision during a resupply mission in the contested South China Sea.
The incident happened on June 30 in Ayungin Shoal when two China Coast Guard vessels intercepted Philippine patrol boats and “exhibited aggressive tactics” near Second Thomas Shoal. At one point, CCG 5201 came within 50 yards (46 meters) of a Philippine ship.
In a separate incident, on April 21, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel with the bow number 549 crossed paths with Philippine vessels near Pag-asa Island.
In February, a CCG vessel directed a military grade laser light twice at a Philippine ship, causing temporary blindness to the crew at the bridge. Manila filed a diplomatic protest over the incident, with Marcos himself summoning the Chinese envoy.
China has competing claims in the South China Sea with the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. In 2016, an international tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines and against Beijing’s sweeping “nine-dash line,” but China has since refused to acknowledge the ruling.
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