China Claims Philippine Personnel Pointed Guns at Coast Guard in Disputed Waters

janimonow

June 2

BEIJING - Chinese state media reported on Sunday that personnel aboard a Philippine ship allegedly pointed guns at China's Coast Guard in the disputed waters of the South China Sea last month.

According to CCTV, a social media post stated that at least two individuals on the Philippine vessel near the shoal were seen carrying firearms and directing them towards the Chinese Coast Guard. A 29-second video clip accompanied the post, showing a masked man briefly holding up a blurred black object resembling a rifle.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $3 trillion worth of ship-borne commerce passes annually. This claim overlaps with territories claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China's claims had no legal basis.

CCTV reported that the incident took place during a Philippine mission to supply troops stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a vessel intentionally grounded on the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in 1999. Philippine supply missions to the Sierra Madre have previously faced harassment from Chinese vessels, including incidents involving water cannons and rammings.

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The Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, National Security Council, and the country's embassy in Beijing have not yet responded to requests for comments.

On Friday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in a speech attended by China's defense minister, subtly criticized Beijing. He condemned what he described as illegal, coercive, and aggressive actions in the South China Sea, which he said were undermining Southeast Asia's vision for "peace, stability, and prosperity."

Tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea have escalated over the past year, marked by confrontations and accusations. These include incidents where China's Coast Guard used water cannons and allegedly rammed Philippine vessels.