The Philippines summoned a senior Chinese embassy official over the “harassment of (Filipino) vessels” in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
“The Philippines protested the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous manoeuvres, use of water cannons, and other aggressive actions of China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels against” Filipino government vessels, the DFA said.
Manila summoned Zhou Zhiyong, the number two official at the Chinese embassy in Manila, over the April 30 incident that damaged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) boat near the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.
“The Philippines demanded that Chinese vessels leave Bajo de Masinloc and its vicinity immediately,” the DFA said.
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
China earlier justified its Coast Guard’s action when it fired a water cannon on Filipino troops in the waters off Bajo de Masinloc.
Lin Jian, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said their move came after the PCG vessel entered waters being claimed by China “without permission.”
That “seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty,” Lin said.
“China Coast Guard took necessary measures to expel them in accordance with the law. China urges the Philippines to stop making infringement and provocations at once and not to challenge China’s resolve to defend our sovereignty,” he added.
The United States, for its part, deplored China’s latest aggressive action against Philippine vessels.
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesman of the US Defense Department, said the “repeated harassment” on the Philippine vessels was “detrimental to regional peace and stability.”
“And our belief is that the Chinese coast guard installation of these barriers also endangers Philippine fisherfolk’s livelihoods and prevents them from exercising their legal rights to fish in those waters,” Patel said.
Manila and Beijing have a long history of territorial disputes in the South China Sea, with several collisions involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in recent months, as well as the use of water cannon by the China Coast Guard.
The latest incident happened near the China-controlled Bajo de Masinloc, which has long been a potential flashpoint, during a mission to resupply Filipino fishermen.
The Philippines has been using all available diplomatic means in asserting its sovereignty and sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and its features.
However, those actions appeared to be futile after the Philippines has filed 154 diplomatic protests under the Marcos administration alone, 20 of which since the start of 2024.