Chinese and Philippine ships came close to collision in the South China Sea on Sunday, in yet another sign of continued tensions over contested waters.
During the incident, which occurred in the vicinity of the Second Thomas Shoal (which Taiwan claims under the name Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙), two Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked Philippine patrol boats carrying journalists and “exhibited aggressive tactics,” the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement yesterday.
One of the Chinese vessels carried out “dangerous maneuvers,” putting the ships 45m from each other, the statement said.
Photo: AFP
“This close proximity posed a significant threat to the safety and security of the Philippine vessel and its crew,” it said.
The incidents occurred as the Philippine Coast Guard undertook a week-long patrol in the strategic waterway, and on the heels of Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang (秦剛) visiting Manila last weekend to meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez.
The two nations have been locked in a territorial dispute in the resource-rich waters, with Marcos’ government ramping up protests over Beijing’s actions. China has maintained that its presence in the area is legitimate, even after an international tribunal dashed its expansive sea claims in 2016.
The incident occurred as the US and the Philippines were conducting their largest joint military exercises, which ended yesterday.
Marcos’ government has been strengthening its alliance with Washington, recently expanding the US’ access to his nation’s military sites.
Marcos is expected to discuss defense deals with US President Joe Biden in a meeting next week.
The Philippine Coast Guard yesterday said that it conducted a seven-day patrol in the South China Sea through Monday upon Marcos’ directive.
It also reported a separate “confrontation” with a Chinese navy vessel near Pagasa Island (Jhongye Island, 中業島) on Friday last week. The Chinese ship reportedly told Philippine vessels over the radio to leave the area, and that failure to comply might “cause problem.”
The Philippines said that during the mission that began on Tuesday last week, it identified more than 100 “alleged Chinese maritime militia vessels, a People’s Liberation Army Navy corvette class and two China Coast Guard vessels” within the Philippines’ 322km exclusive economic zone.
In February, the Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese counterpart ship had directed a “military-grade laser” at one of its ships supporting a resupply mission to troops in the disputed waterway, temporarily blinding its crew on the bridge.
Meanwhile, China yesterday said the “near collision” in the South China Sea was caused by the Philippines’ “premeditated and provocative action.”
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) said the Philippine boats had “intruded” without China’s permission.
“The Chinese coast guard vessel safeguarded China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order, in accordance with the law, while taking timely measures to avoid the dangerous approach of Philippine vessels and to avoid a collision,” Mao said.
“It was a premeditated and provocative action for the Philippine vessel to barge into the waters of Renai Jiao with journalists on board. The aim was to deliberately find fault and take the opportunity to hype up the incident,” she added.
Mao said the crew of the Chinese vessel had acted “professionally and with restraint.”
Additional reporting by Reuters and AFP
EMBRACE CHANGE: Jensen Huang told NTU graduates that instead of worrying about AI itself, they should worry that people with expertise in AI would be taking their jobs Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the computer industry, and Taiwanese companies could play a major role in replacing the world’s traditional computers as they are the foundation of the industry, Nvidia Corp cofounder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said in Taipei yesterday. Huang made the remarks while giving the keynote speech at National Taiwan University’s (NTU) commencement ceremony. AI has created immense opportunities, and versatile companies can be expected to take advantage and boost their position, while less flexible firms would perish, he said. “In every way, this is a rebirth of the computer industry and a golden opportunity for the companies of
‘ARCHAIC’: An interpretation of a law that considered Chinese as Taiwanese nationals was scrapped after the death of a Chinese in Kaohsiung led to state reparations An administrative mandate to consider Chinese as Taiwanese citizens was outdated, Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday, a day after the Executive Yuan ordered that agencies disregard the 30-year-old interpretation. Chen made the remarks at an event held by the Environmental Protection Administration in Taipei following changes to the administrative mandate concerning the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例). The previous interpretation of the law was archaic and contrary to the workings of laws and regulations, he said, adding that the order was made to avoid unnecessary problems created by the mandate. The Mainland
NOT BUYING IT: One of the goals of Beijing’s Cross-Strait Media People Summit was to draw mainstream media executives to discuss the ‘one country, two systems’ formula Taiwanese news media insist on press freedom and professionalism, and would never become a tool of China’s “united front” campaign, Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday, responding to media queries about the lack of Taiwanese media executives at the Cross-Strait Media People Summit in Beijing. Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Chairman Wang Huning (王滬寧) was reportedly furious that no Taiwanese media representatives attended a scheduled meeting with him on Thursday last week. “Beijing should take Taiwan’s determination to pursue freedom and democracy seriously. We also hope that it will not use vicious means to interfere with Taiwan’s development into a
IMMIGRATION REFORM: The legislative amendments aim to protect the rights of families to reunify, and to attract skilled professionals to stay and work in Taiwan Foreigners who are highly skilled professionals, top-prize winners in professional disciplines, investment immigration applicants or have made special contributions to Taiwan can soon apply for permanent residency on behalf of their spouses and minor or disabled children after the legislature approved amendments to the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法). The amendments, which were proposed by the Ministry of the Interior and approved by the Executive Yuan on Jan. 12, aim to attract foreign talent to Taiwan and encourage them to stay. They would take effect once they are signed by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). The amendments involved changing 63 articles, making it the biggest
RSS