Manila, Oct 22 (EFE).- The Philippines accused two Chinese ships Sunday of colliding with a Philippine coast guard vessel and trying to block a supply ship when it was going to supply a military garrison in waters of disputed sovereignty in the Sea of Southern China.
The National Task Force in the West Philippine Sea stated in a statement reported by ABS-CBN television that a Chinese coast guard vessel carried out “dangerous blocking maneuvers” against the supply ship Unaiza May 2 while a Chinese Maritime Militia ship “collided” with the coast guard cutter BRP Cabra 6.4.
Despite the incidents, the Unaiza May 2 was able to carry out its supply work for the military garrison aboard the BRP Sierra Madre ship, near territories whose sovereignty is disputed between Beijing and Manila.
The Special Branch said it condemned “in the strongest degree” this incident, which it described as “dangerous, irresponsible and illegal actions” by the two Chinese vessels.
The incident comes just a week after the Philippine military called on Beijing to stop its “dangerous and offensive actions” in the South China Sea following a similar incident.
Beijing considers virtually all the islands in the South China Sea its own, a claim that overlaps with the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic areas, as indicated by international law, of countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Tensions between China and the Philippines have increased in recent months, and the Philippine government has said it is considering filing a new complaint before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, this time for the loss of coral in disputed waters, of which they accuse Chinese ships. EFE
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