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WPS skirmish erupts | Daily Tribune

WPS skirmish erupts

More than 40 volunteers, composed of youth and student leaders, as well as representatives of fisherfolk organizations, set sail for El Nido, Palawan.

Lade Jean Kabagani·10 December 2023, 12:01 am·1 min read

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WPS skirmish erupts — This striking image captured from video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard via AFPTV on 9 December vividly shows a Chinese Coast Guard ship engaging in a confrontational act, utilizing a water cannon against a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel near Scarborough Shoal in the contentious South China Sea. The Philippines has vehemently accused the Chinese coast guard of employing water cannons to "impede" three government boats as they sought to provide essential supplies to Filipino fishermen near a China-controlled in South China Sea. | PCG/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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China Coast Guard, or CCG, ships and maritime militia boats resumed their aggressive actions against Philippine vessels on the hotbed of territorial friction, which is the West Philippine Sea, or WPS, the National Task Force on the WPS, or NTF-WPS, confirmed on Saturday.

The domestic vessels belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were on a mission to the Bajo de Masinloc, or Scarborough Shoal, to distribute relief goods to fishermen.

Also, in the first known instance, it was reported that China used a "long-range acoustic device" that caused the Filipino crew to experience "severe temporary discomfort and incapacitation."

Previously, China employed passive means in blocking Philippine ships, which lately was by parking their vessels side-by-side to fence off supply missions to Filipino troops stationed on the beached BSP Sierra Madre.

8 hosing incidences in a day

The return to the use of water cannons was likely in preparation for a civilian convoy that had started to sail towards the shoal, which China claims despite its being within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The WPS task force said it "vehemently condemns the illegal and aggressive actions" carried out by the CCG and the militia boats against the BFAR's Datu Sanday, Datu Bankaw, and Datu Tamblot vessels, which were conducting a regular humanitarian and support mission bringing fuel and grocery packs to over 30 Filipino fishing vessels in the area.

"Based on the reports received, as the BFAR vessels approached 1.4 to 1.9 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc, the Chinese Coast Guard ships utilized water cannons to obstruct and prevent them from approaching the fishing vessels that were eagerly awaiting the oil subsidy and grocery packs," the NTF-WPS said in a statement.

It added that water cannons were used at least eight times until about 4 p.m. on Saturday.

US condemns assault

Meanwhile, United States Ambassador MaryKay Carlson denounced the Chinese water assault, citing the Philippines' sovereign rights in the WPS.

"We condemn the PRC's (People's Republic of China) aggressive, illegal actions against Philippine BFAR vessels lawfully operating in the Philippine EEZ," Carlson said in a social media post.

"This PRC behavior violates international law and endangers lives and livelihoods. We stand with our Philippine #FriendsPartnersAllies in support of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific," she added.

The initial convoy of civilian ships in the WPS caravan departed from the port of Manila on Friday morning, carrying Christmas gifts and essential supplies destined for Filipino forces and island residents in the WPS.

The Atin Ito (This is Ours) coalition has initiated an extraordinary three-day mission to reinforce Philippine sovereignty in the WPS.

More than 40 volunteers, composed of youth and student leaders and representatives of fisherfolk organizations, set sail for El Nido, Palawan. From there, they will proceed to Lawak Island, where the holiday cargo will be unloaded to Navy ships for the final leg of its delivery to other communities in the Kalayaan Group of Islands.

Chinese state television said their coast guard had used "control measures following the law" against the Philippine vessels that had "intruded" into waters around the shoal.

China snatched control of Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012 following a tense standoff.

Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila says harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from reaching the lagoon, where the fish are more plentiful.

Scarborough Shoal is 240 kilometers west of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from Hainan's nearest major Chinese land mass.

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China helped negotiate, countries have jurisdiction over the natural resources within 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of their shore.

Damage significant

Videos released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed China Coast Guard ships shooting water cannons at the BFAR vessels and hitting them with powerful blasts of water.

One boat's communication and navigation equipment sustained "significant damage," the task force statement said.

The mission to distribute fuel and food to more than 30 fishing vessels near the shoal was "ongoing," the task force said, accusing the Chinese coast guard of deploying inflatable speed boats to "drive away" the fishermen.

"To prevent the distribution of humanitarian support is not only illegal but also inhumane," the task force said.

Aerial surveillance by the BFAR also showed a floating barrier had been reinstalled across the entrance to the shoal and was being guarded by Chinese boats, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

Filipino fishermen reported that the China Coast Guard installed the barrier early Saturday, the task force said.

Net barrier cut

This comes after PCG personnel in September cut a Chinese-installed 300-meter-long barrier in the same area, setting it adrift and sparking a diplomatic row.

The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in 2016 stated that China's claims over the waters have no legal basis and its construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters was illegal.

Peace being undermined

Amid the latest water cannon incident, Senator Francis Tolentino slammed the CCG's continuing efforts to "undermine peace and stability in the region."

"We strongly condemn China's use of water cannons against civilian research vessels near Bajo de Masinloc, which is within the Philippines' EEZ," he said.

Tolentino said the CCG "should not spoil" the Christmas season with its unwarranted aggression.

"As a flotilla of civilian Filipino vessels prepares to deliver Christmas gifts within the Philippine EEZ, we hope the international community will remain united against any harassment, and the festive spirit of generosity and goodwill will not be overshadowed by the forces of intimidation," he added.

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