According to the Philippines, the Chinese coast guard blocked a supply ship near the Second Thomas Atoll, in the South China Sea that Beijing claims almost entirely.
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A “illegal intrusion”, according to Beijing. The Chinese Embassy in Manila lodged a protest “solemn” in the Philippines, Monday March 25, after a new incident in the South China Sea.
China claims that “On March 23, the Philippines… ignored China’s strong opposition and advance warnings, and insisted on sending a supply ship and two coast guard ships to arbitrarily enter the waters near the Ren’ai reef in the Nansha Islands of China”, using the Chinese name for Second Thomas Atoll. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including waters and islands near the coasts of several neighboring countries, despite an international court ruling in 2016.
The Philippines denounces “belligerent actions” by Beijing
Chinese coast guards blocked and damaged a supply ship using water cannons off Second Thomas Atoll on Saturday, injuring three soldiers, according to the Philippines. The Philippines announced on Monday that it had summoned a diplomat from the Chinese embassy in Manila, denouncing “warlike actions” from Beijing.
The Chinese coast guard, for their part, described their maneuvers as “regulation, interception and legitimate expulsion” of a foreign boat having “attempted to enter by force” in Chinese waters. In recent months, Chinese ships have already used water cannons and collided with Philippine ships near this atoll.
