Philippines Calls in Chinese Ambassador Over South China Sea Maritime Incidents

 

In response to two separate collisions involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea, Manila summoned the Chinese ambassador on Monday, as confirmed by a foreign ministry official. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza emphasized the utilization of diplomatic channels at their disposal, which included the summoning of the Chinese ambassador.

The incidents, which occurred near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, have spurred a blame game between the Philippines and China. The collisions transpired during a routine Philippine resupply mission to support Filipino troops stationed on a deteriorating naval vessel grounded on the shoal, intended to assert Manila's territorial claims.

According to a statement by a Philippine government task force, the "dangerous blocking maneuvers of China Coast Guard vessel 5203 led to a collision with the Armed Forces of the Philippines-contracted indigenous resupply boat," located approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the shoal.

China, on the other hand, described the collision as a "slight collision" resulting from the resupply boat disregarding "multiple warnings and deliberately passing through law enforcement in an unprofessional and dangerous manner," as reported by state broadcaster CCTV, citing the foreign ministry.

In a separate incident, a Philippine coastguard vessel escorting the resupply mission was reportedly "bumped" by what the Philippine task force identified as a "Chinese Maritime Militia vessel." China countered by accusing the Philippine boat of "deliberately" creating a disturbance by reversing in a "premeditated manner" into a Chinese fishing vessel