China said on Thursday the philippines to “immediately withdraw” its Coast Guard vessel from the hotly contested Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea after a helicopter dropped supplies for the ship’s crew.
The warning followed confirmation from Manila earlier on Thursday that the Philippine Coast Guard had resupplied the crew aboard the BRG Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) using a helicopter, after the Chinese side blocked earlier supply missions by boat.
Gan Yu, a spokesman for the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), said the Chinese side had kept a close eye on the helicopter and the airdrop on Wednesday and had “handled it according to the rules”.
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“Such risky behavior by the Philippine side may lead to unexpected incidents at sea or in the air,” Gan said in a statement released Thursday.
“We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its risky actions, as well as propaganda and hype, to immediately withdraw the ship 9701 on its own accord and not to misjudge and escalate the situation. Otherwise, the Philippine side will be fully responsible for all consequences that arise from this.”
China’s Defense Ministry issued a similar statement on Thursday, warning Manila not to test Beijing’s patience.
“China strives to properly manage differences through dialogue and consultation, but our patience has limits,” said Wu Qian, a ministry spokesman.
“The Philippine side must take immediate action to remove its vessels and personnel from Sabina Shoal and render the area uninhabited and without facilities.”
Wu further accused the US of being the “biggest culprit in disrupting the situation in the South China Sea and the biggest destroyer of peace and stability in the South China Sea” by “encouraging, supporting and endorsing actions by the Philippines.”
The Chinese and Philippine coast guards have been engaged in repeated clashes over Sabina Shoal since April, when the Philippines sent the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) into the shoal. The ship has been anchored off the disputed Spratly Atoll ever since.
The 97-meter multi-purpose intervention vessel, which was commissioned only two years ago, is the largest and most modern vessel in the Philippine Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, the Chinese coast guard sent its own intervention vessels, including the world’s largest coast guard ship, the 12,000-ton CCG 5901, to monitor the situation.
Sabina Shoal – called Xianbin Reef by China and Escoda Shoal by the Philippines – is part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, but is also claimed by China.
Personnel aboard a Chinese coast guard ship, seen from the Philippine ship BRP Cabra on Monday. Photo: AFP alt=Personnel aboard a Chinese coast guard ship, seen from the Philippine ship BRP Cabra on Monday. Photo: AFP>
Several incidents have been reported at sea over the past week when the Philippines attempted to send goods to the BRP Teresa Magbanua but was blocked by the Chinese side.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela said Tuesday that food and provisions for the more than 10 crew members aboard the ship were “at a critical level.”
He accused the Chinese side of using a water cannon against a Philippine Fisheries Agency vessel on Sunday.
A total of 40 Chinese vessels were deployed on Monday to prevent two Philippine coast guard vessels from approaching the shoal, Tarriela said.
But Gan said the BRP Teresa Magbanua was fully operational and capable of leaving the area on its own and that this would “easily solve the (supply) problems”.
The CCG spokesman said the Philippine side had “gambled with the health and lives of the officers and soldiers” aboard the MRRV-9701, using “‘humanitarianism’ as an excuse to carry out a ‘risky infringement’ on China’s indisputable’ rights.
“The Chinese Coast Guard stands ready and is fully prepared to resolutely safeguard the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Gan added.
The latest confrontation over Sabina Shoal came when Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, met with Gen. Romero Brawner Jnr., commander in chief of the Philippine Armed Forces, in the Philippine city of Baguio to discuss security issues and military plans during an annual meeting, an Associated Press report said.
Asked Thursday about recent Chinese activities in the disputed waters, Paparo said the US military stands ready with a “range of options” to counter the increasing aggression in the South China Sea, if ordered to carry them out jointly and after consultation with the Philippines, a US ally.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP)the most authoritative voice covering China and Asia for over a century. For more SCMP stories, explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP’s Facebook And Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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