The Philippines has accused China of deliberately ramming and destroying Filipino fishing boats in the latest rise of tensions in the South China Sea, which had previously stirred historic territorial disputes between the two nations. This comes amid ongoing territorial disputes and concerns over China’s expansive claims in the region, which have frequently pitted it against its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Maritime Militia Harassment of Filipino Boats
It’s an area of strategic importance, with some $3 trillion in trade passing through it every year, but China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have each laid their claim on part or the whole of the South China Sea. Beijing has pressed on to try to cement its claim by building islands and increasing its military presence, even after an international tribunal rebuffed the country’s claims as groundless under international law in 2016.
The latest incident involves accusations by the Philippines that Chinese vessels, supposedly maritime militia, have been harassing and destroying Filipino fishing boats in the surroundings of the Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal to Filipinos. The shoal had developed into a constant point of danger between the two nations over the years. Although belonging to the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS definitions, it seems to be occupied by China at the moment.
Boat Harassment
According to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, several Filipino fishing boats were harassed just recently by Chinese vessels that allegedly fired water cannons and blocked their path, forcing the former to leave. Lorenzana said that it was provocative and an attack against Philippine sovereignty, which further strained bilateral relations.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila had denied the allegations, describing them as “groundless,” and claimed the Chinese vessels had been operating legally in waters where they had “traditional fishing rights.” Beijing has claimed on many occasions that it is claiming almost the entire South China Sea based on historical claims supported by maps going as far back as centuries ago.
The Philippines, however, has persisted that China respect the 2016 international tribunal ruling nullifying China’s historical claims and consent to its sovereignty rights over Scarborough Shoal and all other areas within Manila’s EEZ. Accordingly, Manila shall always emphasise adherence to international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.
South China Sea Tensions
The incident has again set off alarm bells in Manila and other capitals around the region, as well as among a number of international experts, about an increasingly assertive China. According to analysts, another mechanism Beijing uses to enforce its claims without triggering an armed response is its maritime militia. They work in conjunction with the navy and coast guard.
The United States, a long-standing ally of the Philippines, declared its support for Manila and reiterated an iron-clad commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight within the South China Sea. Washington has urged China to halt such destabilising activities and uphold international standards and norms.
Although Vietnam and Malaysia are other Southeast Asian nations with rival claims in the South China Sea, the challenge has been the same with regard to Chinese maritime activities. These incidents underscore the broader geopolitical implications of China’s expansive claims and their implications for regional stability.
Philippines’ Strategic Response
It is against this backdrop of rising tensions that the Philippines has been trying to increase its defence capabilities and boost maritime surveillance in the South China Sea. Manila has been seeking, at the same time, closer security cooperation with allies and partners particularly the United States and Japan to help build its deterrent capabilities vis-à-vis any threats.
Into the future, the South China Sea dispute remains a matter of considerable thorn in the region’s security and stability. With China advancing its claims through a variety of ways, among them the alleged harassment of fishing vessels, it gets tricky as the international community must balance the interests and uphold the rule of law.
Of all these, the Philippines is bound to balance delicately between the need to assert its sovereign rights under international law and management of relations with its economic partner and a regional power China. Resolution of disputes is possible on the basis of consistent effort at the length of diplomacy and adherence to international norms which ensure that maritime disputes are resolved in peace and under the rule of law.
Maritime Dispute Dynamics
In effect, this means that in a way, the Philippines’ accusation of China about destroying fishing boats in disputed waters remarkably underpins the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea and its broad ramifications for stability in the region. With both nations continuing to stake their respective claims, the international community is similarly wary of growing rival interests in this waterway.
