The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Friday said it had taken law enforcement measures against multiple Philippine vessels involved in illegal activities in waters off Huangyan Dao, following two consecutive days of provocations by the Philippine side. The CCG urged Manila to stop its actions, warning that the Philippines would bear all consequences.
On Friday, the Philippines organized seven government vessels, three coast guard ships, one fish transport vessel, and incited a large number of fishing boats to illegally gather in waters under China’s jurisdiction around Huangyan Dao. During the incident, three Philippine government vessels ignored repeated warnings and deterrence from the CCG and deliberately entered China’s territorial waters around Huangyan Dao, Jiang Lue, spokesperson for the CCG, said in a statement on Friday.
The CCG, in accordance with the law, took necessary measures, including verbal warnings, route control and water cannon deployment, to resolutely drive away the Philippine vessels. The on-site operations were professional, standardized, justified and lawful, said Jiang.
Following the violent assault on CCG personnel by the Philippines at Ren’ai Jiao on July 20, the Philippines has again sent vessels into waters under China’s jurisdiction around Huangyan Dao for two consecutive days, deliberately creating provocations at multiple locations in the South China Sea. Such actions have seriously infringed upon China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, said the spokesperson.
“We urge the Philippines to immediately stop its acts of infringement and provocation. Otherwise, the Philippines shall bear all consequences arising from its actions,” Jiang said.
The CCG will continue to carry out law enforcement and rights protection operations in waters under China’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law, and resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
On Thursday, two Philippine public vessels (MMOV 3012 and MMOV 3018) ignored repeated dissuasion and warnings from the Chinese side and obstinately intruded into the waters under China’s jurisdiction at Huangyan Dao. The CCG took necessary countermeasures in accordance with the law to track, monitor and block the Philippine vessels, compelling them to leave the area, the CCG announced on Thursday.
The Philippines’ recent frequent provocations appear designed to amplify publicity surrounding the 10th anniversary of the so-called South China Sea arbitration ruling and to exploit the recently concluded ASEAN meetings to keep the South China Sea issue in the international spotlight. Certain forces in the Philippines have resorted not only to media sensationalism, but also to deliberately engineered confrontations to advance their political agenda, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.
Chen also noted that some forces in the Philippines may also be concerned that the South China Sea issue is losing prominence on the agenda of China-US diplomacy, raising fears that Washington’s support for Manila could weaken. By initiating fresh provocations, they may be seeking to mislead the international community and secure greater financial, political and security support, particularly from the US.
During the Foreign Ministry’s press conference on Friday, a foreign reporter asked about reports that a US journalist team aboard Philippine vessels witnessed a CCG ship moving to within 7 meters of a Philippine vessel and using a high-pressure water cannon, with the Philippine Coast Guard condemning what it called the CCG’s “illegal actions.”
Spokesperson Lin Jian said that Philippine vessels deliberately intruded into the waters, and it’s legitimate and lawful for China to take necessary measures to defend our rights and security. Our actions are professional, standard, and beyond reproach.
“The Philippines must immediately stop infringing upon China’s rights, and stop the provocations and publicity stunts. Let me stress that, the Philippines again brought reporters on board in its latest infringement activities and provocations and created tensions at sea by playing up the issue, proving itself to be the saboteur of the peace and stability in the South China Sea and the troublemaker in the region,” Lin said.
Chen said that the recent confrontations at Ren’ai Jiao and Huangyan Dao should not be viewed in isolation. Rather, they appear to form part of a coordinated and carefully planned campaign.
Should the Philippines continue down this path, repeatedly escalating tensions without correcting its actions, China reserves the right to take all necessary measures, said Chen, noting that these could include constructing permanent facilities on Huangyan Dao, an exercise of China’s sovereign rights under international law, which permits a state to take measures within its own territory and territorial waters.
China could also conduct boarding inspections, detain vessels or take other law-enforcement measures against ships engaged in illegal activities in the relevant waters, said the expert.
