Tensions flared anew in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as Manila and Beijing traded accusations Sunday, hours after an incident near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, where Chinese Coast Guard vessels fired water cannons and allegedly rammed a Filipino government ship escorting local fishermen.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said three vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), including the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, came under “dangerous and provocative” maneuvers by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the BFAR ships were anchored near Pag-asa Island as part of the “Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda” program when the Chinese vessels approached “dangerously close” and activated their water cannons “as a clear threat.”
“Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions, the PCG and BFAR remain resolute,” Tarriela said. “We will not be intimidated or driven away, as our presence in the Kalayaan Island Group is crucial for protecting the rights and livelihoods of Filipino fishermen.”
At 9:15 a.m., one Chinese Coast Guard vessel “fired its water cannon” at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya and, three minutes later, “deliberately rammed the stern” of the Philippine ship, causing minor damage but no injuries, according to the PCG.
PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan reinforced the message of defiance.
“The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve. Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters, and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” Gavan said.
Different narrative
The confrontation occurred near Thitu Island, one of nine features occupied by the Philippines in the Spratly chain, where China has repeatedly asserted control.
Beijing, however, presented a starkly different account of Sunday’s clash.
According to a statement by CCG spokesman Liu Dejun, a Philippine vessel “entered waters near Sandy Cay, ignored repeated stern warnings from the Chinese side, and dangerously approached” a Chinese ship.
“Full responsibility lies with the Philippine side,” Liu said.
Photos and videos released by the PCG showed a CCG vessel shadowing the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, its water cannon visibly activated.
Manila said the move was a clear act of aggression, adding that China’s continued defiance of the 2016 ruling exposes its disregard for international law.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Sunday’s confrontation marks the latest in a string of increasingly violent encounters between Philippine and Chinese forces in the disputed waters.
2012 seizure
Last month, a China Coast Guard ship shattered a window on the bridge of the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang near the Beijing-controlled Scarborough Shoal, injuring a Filipino crew member.
In August, a Chinese navy vessel even collided with one of its own Coast Guard ships while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat near the same shoal — an embarrassing moment caught on video that underscored the volatility of China’s aggressive tactics in the area.
China seized control of the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012 after a tense months-long standoff, and has since prevented Filipino fishermen from freely accessing the traditional fishing ground.
The Marcos administration has repeatedly vowed not to yield. Manila has also denounced Beijing’s plans to establish a “nature reserve” on Scarborough, with National Security Adviser Eduardo Año calling it “a pretext for eventual occupation.”
The West Philippine Sea remains one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, carrying more than 60 percent of global maritime trade. Yet it is also a flashpoint where fishermen’s livelihoods intersect with the ambitions of rival powers.
Arbitral ruling
In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague handed the Philippines a landmark victory, striking down China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim that covered nearly the entire South China Sea.
The tribunal ruled that China had “no legal basis” to claim historic rights over the waters within the line and affirmed that the Philippines holds exclusive sovereign rights over resources within its 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
The decision also declared that several contested features, including those near Pag-asa and Scarborough Shoal, are part of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.
Despite the ruling’s final and binding nature, Beijing has refused to recognize or comply with it, continuing its militarization and harassment in the West Philippine Sea.