The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday accused Chinese vessels of “dangerous” manoeuvres during a nine-day patrol near a reef off the coast of the Southeast Asian country.
The reef has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila says harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from reaching the lagoon where fish are more plentiful.
During the patrol, Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels “performed dangerous and blocking manoeuvres at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice”, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said its ship was also “shadowed” by four Chinese Coast Guard vessels “on more than 40 occasions”.
PLA patrols South China Sea amid strained ties with the Philippines
PLA patrols South China Sea amid strained ties with the Philippines
The coastguard also observed what it described as “four Chinese Maritime Militia vessels” (CMM).
Videos released by the Philippines show a Chinese coastguard vessel metres from the port beam of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, before it crosses the path of the Filipino boat.
“Nevertheless, the PCG vessel professionally engaged both the CCG and CMM vessels through radio reiterating the clear and principled position of the Philippines in accordance with international law,” the statement said.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said the Philippine ship illegally intruded “several times” between February 2 and 9.
“In the case of ineffective warnings, the Chinese Coast Guard took measures to control the route and expel the Philippine vessel in accordance with the law, and handled the situation in a professional and standardised manner.”
He said the coastguard “consistently carried out law-enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law” and “resolutely safeguarded national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.
14:15
Livelihoods lost: The fishermen snared in the Scarborough Shoal dispute
Livelihoods lost: The fishermen snared in the Scarborough Shoal dispute
Scarborough Shoal is 240km (150 miles) west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and nearly 900km from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan.
Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China helped negotiate, countries have jurisdiction over the natural resources within about 200 nautical miles (370km) of their shore.
The Philippine coastguard also distributed food and groceries to a hundred Filipino fishermen in 14 boats, the statement said.
‘Show our swords’: Beijing must harden stance in the South China Sea, expert says
‘Show our swords’: Beijing must harden stance in the South China Sea, expert says
China claims almost the entire sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis.
It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.
Chinese and Philippine officials last month agreed on the need for closer dialogue to deal with “maritime emergencies” in the waterway.
Additional reporting by Laura Zhou