“Escalation and provocation”: the Philippines and China had a “ship collision”

The Philippines accused China of “inflaming already tense relations” in the South China Sea. China’s coast guard said there was a “minor collision” while Manila called it “dangerous blocking maneuvers” by the Chinese vessel. The two countries have had many maritime clashes in recent months over disputes over the South China Sea, particularly the Spratly Islands.

China and the Philippines have exchanged accusations following a ship collision in disputed waters of the South China Sea. This happened on Sunday, October 22, when Chinese ships blocked the Philippine one, as reported by The Guardian. This incident drew condemnation of China from the United States, which has a mutual defense pact with the Philippines.

China’s coast guard tried several times to turn around a Philippine boat that was trying to deliver supplies to troops stationed on the rusty World War II-era transport ship BRP Sierra Madre, which is being used as an outpost in shallow waters. According to news agency Reuters, it happened about 25 km from Renai Reef, where a Philippine warship deliberately ran aground in 1999 as part of its claims to sovereignty over the area.

Chinese security officials said there was a “minor collision” between one of its ships and a Philippine boat while transporting “illegal construction materials” to a warship anchored in shallow waters. Beijing accused the Philippine vessel of “deliberately” creating disturbances by “deliberately” reversing into a Chinese fishing vessel: “The Philippines’ behavior seriously violates international rules for preventing collisions at sea and threatens the navigational safety of our ships.”

In response, Manila condemned the maneuvers of the Chinese vessel: “China’s dangerous, irresponsible and illegal actions violate the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines.”

Philippine National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya said at a press conference on October 23 that one of the boats was damaged by China’s action but no one was injured: “We are relieved and grateful that no Filipino personnel were injured. But we are concerned about the escalation of the situation and provocations from Chinese ships that have no business in the West Philippine Sea.” The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza commented on the situation and noted that Manila was “making full use of diplomatic processes following incidents involving vessels belonging to China and the Philippines,” and the Chinese ambassador was subsequently summoned on the morning of October 23. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “China has maintained great restraint and patience on this issue.”

Last week, the Philippine military called on China to stop its “dangerous and offensive” actions after a Chinese warship harassed a Philippine one. For its part, Beijing warned Manila against further “provocations,” emphasizing that such actions violate their territorial sovereignty.

According to the Independent, the October 22 incident exacerbates ongoing tensions between the countries as Beijing claims large parts of the South China Sea, including areas within the exclusive economic zone of neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

The Western press notes that in 2016, the UN and its Permanent Court of Arbitration considered that China’s claims had no legal basis, but China challenged this decision. The Philippines and other neighboring countries also have reverse claims to the waterway, which is one of the world’s busiest trade routes and is believed to contain significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

The disputed Ren’ai Reef lies within the Philippines’ 370.4-kilometer exclusive economic zone and is more than a thousand kilometers from China’s closest major landmass, Hainan Island.

The Philippines has repeatedly accused China of “aggressive and dangerous” behavior in the South China Sea, and that if such incidents continue, it could lead to a confrontation between the Philippines’ US ally and China.

Manila’s relations with Beijing have particularly soured under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has strengthened diplomatic ties with Washington since taking office in 2022. In May, the Pentagon said it would defend the Philippines if its coast guard were attacked “anywhere in South China sea”.

What does the West think about this? The US State Department accused China of “dangerous and illegal actions” and reiterated that the mutual defense treaty with Manila “applies to Philippine military forces, government vessels and aircraft, including coast guard aircraft, anywhere in the South China Sea.”

Several other Western countries have expressed concern. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron said that “the repetition of incidents such as Sunday’s clashes is dangerous and very worrying.”

The Canadian Embassy in the Philippines called China’s actions “indefensible” and said “ongoing acts of intimidation and coercion undermine security and stability throughout the region and increase the risk of miscalculation.”