Philippines slams China coastguard’s ‘dangerous’ clash with its ships near Sabina Shoal
- The incident near the Sabina Shoal arose due to what China claimed was the Philippine coastguard’s ‘unprofessional and dangerous’ behaviour
The Philippine government on Monday slammed the “dangerous and illegal manoeuvres” of Chinese coastguard vessels that led to a collision with two Philippine coastguard vessels in Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
Analysts warn that the mild statement from the Philippines – issued by Jonathan Malaya, a spokesman for the multi-agency National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) – could embolden China to carry out further provocations.
It has also raised concerns about whether the Philippines would seek stronger support from its allies or defuse tensions on its own over its long-standing maritime row with China.
The incident took place early on Monday morning near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.
In a statement, the Chinese coastguard (CCG) claimed the “deliberate” collision arose from the “unprofessional and dangerous” behaviour of the Philippine coastguard (PCG).