For its part, China also issued a statement confirming that it had “repelled” Philippine ships from entering its waters. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lam Kiem urged Manila not to challenge China. This incident occurred after the Philippines and the US held an annual joint military exercise, making Beijing unhappy.
The US will continue to support the Philippines
On May 2, the Philippine government summoned the number two official of the Chinese Embassy in Manila, Chu Chi Dung, to protest the incident of a Chinese coast guard ship spraying water cannons that damaged two Philippine ships patrolling in the Scarborough Shoal area. .
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs asked the Chinese ships to immediately leave Scarborough Shoal and surrounding areas in the South China Sea, and said the hydraulics of the water cannons used in the April 30 incident were much stronger. compared to the hydraulics used in all previous engagements, puncturing or bending metal parts and equipment on Philippine ships.
This is the 20th protest note sent by the Philippine government to China this year and the 153rd note since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came to power in mid-2022. In recent months, tensions between China and the Philippines have increased, reflected in an increase in collisions.
Immediately afterwards, the US side also spoke up about the incident. Specifically, during the press conference on May 3, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized: “We have made it very clear to all parties, including Beijing, that the type of behavior we have seen , putting Philippine crews in danger… sailors were injured and property was damaged, which was irresponsible behavior.”
Mr. Austin reiterated that the United States will continue to support the Philippines as stated in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and that China’s actions demonstrate disregard for international law.
Scarborough is a shoal located 230km from the Philippine island of Luzon and about 1,000km from the southeast coast of China. China took control of Scarborough Shoal after a tense maritime confrontation with the Philippines in 2012.
Since then, China has regularly prevented Filipino fishermen from approaching the abundant fishing grounds to fish, even using water cannons to chase them away.
Scarborough Shoal is part of a lawsuit initiated by the Philippines at the International Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (Netherlands) against China’s “cow tongue line” claim in the East Sea. In its ruling in July 2016, the Arbitration Court officially rejected this claim, but Beijing still denies and does not comply with any of the Court’s conclusions.
