A CHINESE Navy ship harassed a Philippine Navy vessel doing a resupply mission Friday near the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea, the military reported yesterday.
Vessels of the China Coast Guard, not the Chinese Navy, have subjected to harassment Philippine Coast Guard ships escorting military-charted wooden boats delivering supplies to troops at Ayungin Shoal in the past months.
The last incident the Chinese Navy got involved in the territorial dispute in the South China Sea was in 2012 during a standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc, when they eventually took control of the shoal.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. urged China to avoid similar incidents., saying these put to risk the lives of both Filipino and Chinese sailors.
“These dangerous and offensive maneuvers by China’s PLAN (People’s Liberation Army-Navy) not only risk collision but also directly endanger the lives of maritime personnel from both sides,” said Brawner.
On Friday afternoon, the Philippine Navy’s BRP Benguet was some 5.8 nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa Island when it was shadowed by a PLAN ship with bow number 621 at an 80-yard distance. The military said the Chinese ship came as close 350 yards as it tried to cross the bow of the Philippine Navy ship, which was en route to another Philippine-held feature — Rizal Reef — to deliver supplies to Filipino troops.
In a statement, AFP public affairs chief Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto said the Philippine Navy ship had “warned off and issued consecutive radio challenges” to the Chinese ship during the incident.
“The PN (Philippine Navy) crew cited the violation of the Collision Regulations in its radio challenges, and demanded that the Chinese vessel to steer clear of the BRP Benguet,” said Ileto.
Ileto said the Philippine Navy “received a counter-response from PLAN 621 using their so-called and patently baseless 10-dash line narrative.”
Brawner said the military will continue rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions despite the latest harassment of the Chinese.
“The AFP remains committed to ensuring the safety of its personnel during RoRe missions and asserts that it will continue to adhere to the rules-based international order,” said Brawner.
AFP Western Command commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said, “These [dangerous] maneuvers pose significant risks to maritime safety, collision prevention, and danger to human lives at sea.”
“China must immediately halt these unsafe actions and conduct themselves in a professional manner by adhering to international law,” he added.
Ileto called China’s presence in the area “illegal,” adding it “interferes with a legitimate Philippine rotation and resupply mission.”
“Its conduct of aggressive maneuvers and any other similar activities that infringe upon the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are violations of international law,” said Ileto
“The Philippines has continued to call on China to immediately stop its illegal activities in the country’s maritime zones,” he added. — With Raymond Africa
