A fresh exchange of accusations and warnings between China and the Philippines occurred on Tuesday after a Philippine navy patrol ship was shadowed by Chinese forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The encounter took place near Scarborough Shoal, which has been surrounded by Chinese navy and coast guard ships since a tense standoff with Philippine vessels over a decade ago. The shoal, known for its rich fishing grounds and safe mooring area during storms, is one of the most fiercely contested territories in the South China Sea.
The frequent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine forces in the region have prompted the United States to issue repeated warnings that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces come under attack. In a recent collision between Chinese and Philippine vessels near another disputed shoal on October 22, tensions escalated further.
Chinese air force Col. Tian Junli accused the Philippine warship of trespassing into Chinese waters and violating China’s sovereignty and international law. He urged the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement and provocation to avoid further escalation. However, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año denied any untoward incident and stated that the Philippine navy ship carried out a routine patrol without any issues. He accused China of hyping up the encounter and creating unnecessary tensions between the two nations.
Amidst the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, involving Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, there is growing concern about the potential for conflict. Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen emphasized the importance of preventing conflicts from escalating and proposed the establishment of defense hotlines. In recent talks between Southeast Asian diplomats and their Chinese counterparts, concerns were raised about the flare-ups in the disputes. The discussions on a proposed nonaggression pact aimed to prevent major armed conflicts but have faced obstacles due to differences in its legal binding nature and coverage of strategic areas in the sea passage.
