China, Philippines trade blame over run-in near contested Spratlys reef in South China Sea

China says Philippine vessels ‘under guise of’ fishing boats gathered illegally near Houteng Reef, as Manila claims ‘harassment’ by PLA

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A Chinese coast guard ship sails past a Philippine fishing boat in disputed waters of the South China Sea earlier this year. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:16pm, 2 Dec 2024Updated: 11:20pm, 2 Dec 2024

China and the Philippines traded accusations on Monday over recent activities near a disputed South China Sea reef, as bilateral tensions remain high over confrontations in the key waterway.

In a statement released on Monday, China Coast Guard (CCG) said that several Philippine vessels “under the guise of” fishing boats “gathered illegally in the waters near Houteng Reef in the Nansha Islands”.

Nansha is China’s name for the contested Spratly Islands, claimed by several neighbours including the Philippines.

The vessels ignored warnings from the Chinese coastguard, which then took “necessary management and control measures” in accordance with the law, spokesman Liu Dejun said in the statement.

China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Houteng Reef, and its adjacent waters, he added.

Houteng Reef is China’s name for Iroquois Reef, called Rozul Reef in the Philippines. It lies about 128 nautical miles (237km) from the Philippine island of Palawan, a distance that Manila says falls within its UN-mandated 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).