Manila accused the Chinese coast guard on Wednesday of seizing weapons from some Philippine boats in the South China Sea, during a confrontation that left one seriously injured on the Philippine side on Monday.
“Chinese coast guard personnel illegally boarded our RHIBS (rigid hull inflatable boats)” and “they recovered some weapons,” Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres, head of the Philippine Western Command, told reporters.
Filipino sailors were ordered not to use the weapons during Monday’s confrontation off Second Thomas Shoal Atoll, Torres said.
On Monday, Manila accused Chinese ships of damaging Philippine boats in the South China Sea, before announcing on Tuesday that a Filipino sailor had been seriously injured in a collision during these incidents.
On Wednesday, Rear Admiral Torres affirmed that the sailor had lost his thumb during this collision and he insisted that the Chinese coast guard had, according to him, “deliberately rammed” the Philippine boats.
“Piracy”
According to Philippine Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner, the Chinese were armed with swords, spears and knives.
He denounced the Chinese action as “piracy” and demanded the return of seized weapons and other equipment, as well as repairs for damaged items.
“This is the first time we see the Chinese coast guard wearing bolos [un type d’épée à un seul tranchant], spears and knives. Our troops had none of that, we responded with our bare hands,” he told the press on Wednesday after visiting the injured soldier.
Beijing, for its part, defended on Wednesday what Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described as “professional and moderate” measures taken by the Chinese coast guard against Philippine vessels. “No direct action was taken against Philippine personnel,” Lin Jian added.
State media in Beijing broadcast images of the Chinese coast guard presented as those of “the Chinese coast guard” carrying out “for the first time the boarding and inspection of a Philippine boat”.
On Monday, the Chinese coast guard said a Philippine supply ship in the area had “ignored numerous solemn warnings from China.” They added that they had “taken control measures” against him “in accordance with the law”.
The photos show two Chinese ships approaching from either side of a smaller Philippine ship, while another Chinese vessel follows closely behind them.
Chinese coast guards can be seen boarding the surrounded ship.
AFP was unable to independently verify the footage.
The boat had “approached the […] Chinese ship in an unprofessional manner, leading to a collision,” Beijing assured after the incident.
The Philippine military rejected the accusations, calling them “misleading and false.”
“It should now be clear to the international community that China’s actions are the real obstacles to peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said.
Manila’s allies had expressed their concern.
Washington in particular had “condemned” China’s “dangerous and aggressive maneuvers”.
Confrontations
Second Thomas Shoal Atoll has been the scene of an increasing number of confrontations between Chinese and Filipino ships in recent months.
These incidents often took place during resupply missions by the Philippines to the military present on the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship deliberately stranded on the atoll with the aim of making it an outpost and asserting their sovereignty claims against China.
Second Thomas Atoll is about 200 km from the Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1000 km from the nearest large Chinese island, Hainan.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, an important trade route, and ignores an international arbitration that ruled against it in 2016. It patrols hundreds of coast guard and navy vessels there and has transformed several reefs into militarized artificial islands.
Repeated incidents between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea raise fears of a broader conflict that could involve the United States, the Philippines’ ally, and other countries in the region, at a time when China is increasing its pressure diplomatic and military around Taiwan by frequently sending planes and ships to its surroundings.