Chinese coast guard tries to block Filipino vessels in South China Sea
- Chinese coast guard ships backed by a military helicopter attempted unsuccessfully to block two Philippine government vessels carrying scientists from reaching two sandbars in the disputed South China Sea.
Key Highlights
- China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping territorial claims that have erupted from time to time into brief confrontations in the South China Sea.
- Hostilities between China and the Philippines, however, have worsened since last year,
- Resulting in minor collisions at sea and injuries to a few Filipino crewmen, sparking a war of words.
- Washington has no territorial claims in the strategic waterway but has questioned China’s claim to virtually the entire seaway.
- The United States has repeatedly warned that it’s obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack.
- During the Chinese coast guard’s maneuvers, one of its ships crossed the bow of the Philippine fisheries vessel BRP Datu Sanday at a distance of 100 meters (328 feet), Tarriela said.
- Two of the three small sandbars where the Filipino scientists carried out a survey are located between Philippine-occupied Thitu island and Subi
- A disputed reef that China transformed into an island base with a military-grade runway, seaports and a number of buildings with communications facilities.
- In 2017, Chinese officials accused the Philippine military of attempting to build a structure on one of the sandbars, and deployed Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships to keep watch on Sandy Cay.
Prelims Takeaway
- South china sea
- Map based question