Tensions between China and the Philippines are on the rise with President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday accusing Beijing of "abhorrent" behaviour after Chinese coast guard ships blocked two Filipino boats in the South China Sea (SCS). Duterte shared his views at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit hosted by Chinese President Xi on Monday.
Duterte's statement is significant as Xi had assured the ten-member bloc that China will not dominate or bully the smaller nations in the region. Xi's address to ASEAN leaders came just days after Chinese coast guard vessels had fired water cannons at Philippine supply boats taking food to military personnel on the Ayungin Shoal in the South China Sea (SCS). Under attack from Chinese boats, the Philippine boats had to return.
China’s recent move to block and use water cannons against Philippine boats on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea has renewed international concern over Beijing’s “destabilizing” actions in the volatile waterway. https://t.co/PerKZ4lGsj
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) November 22, 2021
The Ayungin Shoal, also called the Second Thomas Shoal, falls within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but Chinese ships have surrounded the shoal for years.
In his address to the ASEAN summit, Duterte said: "We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments".
He said that the incident does not speak well of China's relations with the Philippines and the other members of the bloc, reported The Manila Times.
In his address to the summit, he also referred to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the 2016 ruling by the Hague-based international tribunal that rejected China's vast claims in the SCS.
Under attack from China, the Philippines has also highlighted its defence treaty with the US that allows for US military intervention in case of threats to the Philippines.
In a related incident, the Philippines redeployed its two supply boats to carry food to its troops who are stationed in a ship in an effort to protect the shoal. As a measure of safety, Manila has decided to fly a navy plane over its boats.
The Associated Press reports that Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the departure of two civilian wooden-hulled boats with navy personnel and supplies. He was, however, not clear if the Chinese coast guard boats will again block the food supplies for the Philippines troops.
On the other hand, China wants the Philippines to remove its navy vessel called Sierra Madre, that protects the shoals. It has also said that it will help the Philippines remove the Sierra Madre ship from the shoals.
The Philippines' Sierra Madre naval vessel has an interesting history.
With China trying to take over the Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine navy ran the Sierra Madre into the beach and converted the damaged old vessel into a permanent outpost for its troops. The ship also strengthens Manila's claims to sovereignty on an area which it says lies within its EEZ.
Beijing has, however, sent more vessels to the Spratly islands which are located in the SCS.
The communist giant has a contentious relationship with most of its south-east Asian neighbours over territorial claims and control of waterways in the SCS. The current dispute over the island between the Philippines and China is just one of the many that Beijing has unleashed on its smaller neighbours.
