Disputed area Trouble over Chinese monster ship off the Philippines
There is trouble between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea right at the start of the year. Beijing has sent a "monster ship" into a disputed area. The authorities in Manila are outraged.
15.01.2025, 06:27
15.01.2025, 06:28
dpa
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- The Philippines has accused China of increasingly aggressive behavior and ongoing provocations in the South China Sea.
- The new trouble over the controversial sea area has been triggered by a huge Chinese coast guard vessel that was first spotted in Philippine waters on January 4.
- The People's Republic claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself.
- The Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, reject the claims.
The Philippine government has accused China of increasingly aggressive behavior and ongoing provocations in the South China Sea. The new trouble over the controversial sea area was triggered by a huge Chinese coast guard vessel that was first spotted in Philippine waters near Capones Island off the coast of the northwestern province of Zambales on January 4. Because of its size, the ship is referred to as a "monster ship" in the Southeast Asian island state.
"They are pushing us to the wall," said National Security Council Deputy Chief Jonathan Malaya. However, the Philippines would not back down in the face of such deterrence tactics. "It is clearly a provocation and a clear attempt to intimidate our fishermen and deprive them of their legitimate livelihood," he added, not ruling out further international arbitration in this regard. The Philippine Coast Guard had ordered the "monster ship" to leave the region - but it was still in the vicinity of Capones.
China rejected the Philippine accusations. The Philippines should refrain from all provocations and false accusations and stop actions that endanger peace in the South China Sea and complicate the situation there, demanded Foreign Office spokesman Guo Jiakun in Beijing. According to him, the Chinese coast guard is patrolling the areas in question in accordance with the law.
What is the issue in the region?
Capones Island is located around 130 nautical miles (240 kilometers) from the disputed Scarborough Reef. The fish-rich reef is called Huangyan Island in China. It was at the center of a military incident between the two countries in 2012, after which Beijing occupied the reef. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected China's territorial claims in 2016. Beijing ignores the ruling.
The People's Republic claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself. The Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, reject the claims. The resource-rich area is also considered an important global trade route. For years, the dispute has repeatedly led to ship collisions and Chinese attacks with water cannons.