BEIJING/MANILA- Once more, China has urged the Philippines to remove a beached warship, currently serving as a military outpost, from a contested shoal. This request comes after the Philippines declined a previous demand from Beijing.
The relationship between the two neighboring countries has become increasingly strained over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In response to these tensions, Manila has realigned itself with the United States, which provides support to the Philippines in its maritime conflicts with China.
China's embassy in Manila has criticized the United States for orchestrating a coalition of allies to amplify tensions over the South China Sea and the recent boat incident. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the embassy conveyed that the South China Sea should not be exploited by non-regional nations to provoke trouble and discord, rather than being treated as a mere "safari park."
Within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone lies the Second Thomas Shoal, where a former warship, the Sierra Madre, serves as a base for a small contingent of troops. The deliberate grounding of the vessel in 1999 aimed to bolster the Philippines' territorial claims.
The Philippines has repeatedly accused China's coastguard of obstructing resupply missions to its troops stationed at the shoal. An incident on August 5 saw a Philippine vessel sprayed with water cannons by the Chinese coastguard, prompting Manila to describe the action as "excessive and offensive."
China counters that the Philippine occupation of the shoal is unlawful. China has characterized its actions as a "warning" while maintaining it has consistently exercised "reasonable restraint."
The dispute over the Second Thomas Shoal underscores the ongoing tensions and differing perspectives between China and the Philippines in the region.
China's defense ministry has called on Manila to cease all "provocative" actions and has pledged to continue employing necessary measures to uphold sovereignty and maritime rights in the region.
Experts in security analysis interpret China's maneuvers around the atoll as a clear indication of its desire to assume control over Second Thomas Shoal, known as Renai Reef in China and Ayungin in Manila.
Maritime security specialist Rommel Ong, a retired vice commander of the Philippine Navy, emphasized the necessity of reestablishing sea control around the shoal to counter potential coercive tactics by China. Ong highlighted the vulnerability of resupply missions if control is not maintained.
While the Aug. 5 incident involving a Chinese water cannon did not result in injuries, it impeded one of Manila's resupply boats from completing its mission. Both boats have returned to a Philippine port.
China asserts its sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, a claim that overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Experts, including Collin Koh from Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, suggest that China might hesitate to employ direct force to occupy the shoal due to potential political repercussions, including activation of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty.
Jonathan Malaya of the Philippines National Security Council urged China to avoid escalating the situation and endangering lives.
Japan and France have conveyed concerns over China's recent actions through their embassies in Manila, reaffirming their support for a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing's expansive South China Sea claims.
The Philippine foreign ministry reported challenges in communication with its counterpart during the water cannon incident.