China and Philippines Dispute Over Contested Maritime Territories Continues To Escalate

While the Philippines accuses China of ramming its vessel, China has released a statement claiming its own vessel was rammed, posting its own video documentation of the incident.

PHILIPPINE/SOUTH CHINA SEA - Tensions between China and the Philippines escalate over disputed maritime territories, with the Philippines asserting China lacks legal jurisdiction over the regions. China is accusing Philippine vessels of intruding into its territorial waters, employing aggressive tactics like deploying a water cannon and helicopters to harass Philippine ships and fishing vessels.

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While the Philippines accuse China of ramming its vessel, China has released a statement claiming its own vessel was rammed, posting its own video documentation of the incident.

Illustration posted by the Chinese military

Regarding the latest incident, Deputy Chief of Staff and Spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela said, "Our vessels encountered aggressive actions from several Chinese Coast Guard vessels, specifically CCG 5303, 3302, 3104, 3304, as well as People's Liberation Army Navy vessels with bow numbers 500 and 571.

At around 6:30 AM, CCG 3302 fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003), aiming directly at the vessel's navigational antennas while it was located 16 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc. Following this hostile action, CCG 3302 intentionally sideswiped the BRP Datu Pagbuaya on its starboard side."

Screenshot of a video released by the Philippine Coast Guard of the incident

He also said, "The People's Republic of China has no jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc, which is classified as a rock under the 2016 Arbitral Award and Article 121 of UNCLOS. The Philippines has sovereignty over it, including its territorial sea."

Tariela also recently said, "On November 28, the Philippine Coast Guard received video footage and photographs from a fishing boat that returned to Quezon, Palawan, which captured the harassment of Filipino fishing vessels by a PLA Navy helicopter in Rozul Reef."

Chinese helicopter flying over Philippine fishing vessels

The Chinese Embassy in Manila replied to the latest incident by saying that vessel, "Intruded into the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Island and came dangerously close to the Chinese Coast Guard's normal law enforcement and patrol vessels. China will implement control over it in accordance with laws and regulations."

Chinese Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun

Regarding the helicopter and fishing vessel incidents, the Chinese Embassy said, "Nansha Qundao and the adjacent waters belong to China. Chinese law enforcement activities in those waters are fully lawful and legitimate. We do not accept the Philippines’ false claim of China “harassing” Filipino fishing boats."

The Chinese military released a statement regarding the ramming incident that said, "The China Coast Guard (CCG) has warned Manila to immediately halt its infringements, provocations and inflammatory actions after a Philippine vessel intentionally rammed into a CCG ship in waters around China's Huangyan Dao on Wednesday."

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