China and the Philippines' dispute over grounded warship heats up
By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug
An aging and rusty Philippine warship run aground in the South China Sea has taken center stage in an increasingly worrisome standoff between Manila and Beijing.
The Philippines’ BRP Sierra Madre has been stranded on a submerged reef known as the Second Thomas Shoal since 1999 — part of an effort to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty over the area as China began a concerted campaign to cement its own claims.
The World War II-era ship was again at the center of tensions between the two Asian countries on Saturday after China Coast Guard ships blocked and deployed water cannons against two Philippine resupply vessels seeking to deliver food and other supplies to military personnel stationed on the vessel.
The move has triggered a series of back-and-forth accusations, with the U.S. also entering the fray: Washington has emphasized that an armed attack in the South China Sea on Philippine public vessels, aircraft and military — including its coast guard — would trigger the United States’ mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.
Manila insists that the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines, falls within its exclusive economic zone — which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast — and has vowed that “it will never abandon the area.”
Earlier this year, Manila accused the China Coast Guard of using a laser to try to disrupt a resupply mission, and in 2021 two Philippine vessels carrying food supplies to the shoal were involved in a similar incident to Saturday's where they were also shot at with water cannons — so why the fuss now?
After years of tit-for-tat moves over the shoal, Beijing has apparently decided on a more muscular approach as it seeks to strengthen its claim to much of the South China Sea, said Jay Batongbacal, professor and director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines Law Center.
The Philippines’ BRP Sierra Madre has been stranded on a submerged reef known as the Second Thomas Shoal since 1999 — part of an effort to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty over the area as China began a concerted campaign to cement its own claims.
The World War II-era ship was again at the center of tensions between the two Asian countries on Saturday after China Coast Guard ships blocked and deployed water cannons against two Philippine resupply vessels seeking to deliver food and other supplies to military personnel stationed on the vessel.
The move has triggered a series of back-and-forth accusations, with the U.S. also entering the fray: Washington has emphasized that an armed attack in the South China Sea on Philippine public vessels, aircraft and military — including its coast guard — would trigger the United States’ mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.
Manila insists that the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines, falls within its exclusive economic zone — which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast — and has vowed that “it will never abandon the area.”
Earlier this year, Manila accused the China Coast Guard of using a laser to try to disrupt a resupply mission, and in 2021 two Philippine vessels carrying food supplies to the shoal were involved in a similar incident to Saturday's where they were also shot at with water cannons — so why the fuss now?
After years of tit-for-tat moves over the shoal, Beijing has apparently decided on a more muscular approach as it seeks to strengthen its claim to much of the South China Sea, said Jay Batongbacal, professor and director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines Law Center.
Beijing maintains a claim to some 90% of the strategic waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade flow every year, a position that flies in the face of a July 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidating most of those claims.
China has conducted a massive land-reclamation project to essentially build and militarize a number of islands in the waters, despite protests from Manila and other claimants, as well as the United States and Japan. Washington and Tokyo fear that the Chinese-held outposts, some of which boast military-grade airfields and advanced weaponry, could be used to restrict free movement in the area.
“China is doing this precisely because they want to kick the Philippines out of Second Thomas Shoal and out of the Philippine Sea,” Batongbacal said. “This is their way of trying to pursue excessive actions and claims to the South China Sea.”
The vessels that carried the supplies are known as batel, or small wooden boats, which could have easily broken from the high pressure of the water cannons, destabilized the vessel and caused it to roll and sink or injure those on board.
Manila’s swift response to Beijing’s moves near the shoal has also thrown a spotlight on the issue.
Philippine officials were quick to present pictures, videos and other evidence of the incident as they secured support from a number of nations. Beyond the U.S. — which doubled down on its commitment to the Philippines in a phone call between their defense chiefs late Tuesday — Japan, the European Union, Britain and Canada were also quick to criticize Beijing’s actions.
Japan, which has traditionally taken a lower-key approach in responding to incidents involving other countries like the Second Thomas Shoal encounter, was this time quick to blast the move, with Tokyo’s Embassy in Manila saying Beijing’s actions were “totally unacceptable” and “infringe on lawful activities of the sea and endanger the navigational safety.”
Batongbacal said the chorus of criticism allowed the Philippines’ to take a more robust response to the encounter.
“The current administration has a transparency policy in the Philippine Sea to show and reveal China’s true behavior at sea,” Batongbacal said.
“It is clear to all nations that this action is provocative and dangerous.”
China has conducted a massive land-reclamation project to essentially build and militarize a number of islands in the waters, despite protests from Manila and other claimants, as well as the United States and Japan. Washington and Tokyo fear that the Chinese-held outposts, some of which boast military-grade airfields and advanced weaponry, could be used to restrict free movement in the area.
“China is doing this precisely because they want to kick the Philippines out of Second Thomas Shoal and out of the Philippine Sea,” Batongbacal said. “This is their way of trying to pursue excessive actions and claims to the South China Sea.”
The vessels that carried the supplies are known as batel, or small wooden boats, which could have easily broken from the high pressure of the water cannons, destabilized the vessel and caused it to roll and sink or injure those on board.
Manila’s swift response to Beijing’s moves near the shoal has also thrown a spotlight on the issue.
Philippine officials were quick to present pictures, videos and other evidence of the incident as they secured support from a number of nations. Beyond the U.S. — which doubled down on its commitment to the Philippines in a phone call between their defense chiefs late Tuesday — Japan, the European Union, Britain and Canada were also quick to criticize Beijing’s actions.
Japan, which has traditionally taken a lower-key approach in responding to incidents involving other countries like the Second Thomas Shoal encounter, was this time quick to blast the move, with Tokyo’s Embassy in Manila saying Beijing’s actions were “totally unacceptable” and “infringe on lawful activities of the sea and endanger the navigational safety.”
Batongbacal said the chorus of criticism allowed the Philippines’ to take a more robust response to the encounter.
“The current administration has a transparency policy in the Philippine Sea to show and reveal China’s true behavior at sea,” Batongbacal said.
“It is clear to all nations that this action is provocative and dangerous.”
Maritime law experts say that because the area in the vicinity of the Second Thomas Shoal is open sea — there are no islands in the immediate area — it is not subject to claims of sovereignty.
“But those waters are definitely within the Philippine (exclusive) economic zone,” Batongbacal said. “Any rights to resources and to establish outposts belongs to the Philippines.”
China on Tuesday reiterated its demand that the Philippines tow away the “grounded” vessel immediately, while Beijing’s Embassy in Manila spotlighted what it said was U.S. interference in the issue.
“The South China Sea is not a ‘hunting ground’ for countries outside the region to meddle with, sow discord and provoke conflicts. For a time, the U.S. has been inciting and supporting the Philippines attempts to overhaul and reinforce its military vessel that was deliberately ‘grounded’ on Ren’ai Jiao,” the embassy said, using the Chinese name for the Second Thomas Shoal.
It also slammed Washington for rallying “certain allies to persistently sensationalize the South China Sea issue, extensively hype up the recent maritime incident and attack China’s legitimate and lawful actions at sea.”
But despite the fiery rhetoric, neither the Philippines nor the U.S. appear willing to back down, with Manila saying late Tuesday that their military was looking to resume resupply operations to the Sierra Madre within the next two weeks.
With the ball now in China’s court, other nations — even those without claims in the South China Sea — will be watching closely to see how the issue proceeds.
“If China succeeds in kicking the Philippines out, they will use the same strategy for all other nations and islands in the region,” Batongbacal said. “It is important for the Philippines to not let this happen, since it will be the first step.”
“But those waters are definitely within the Philippine (exclusive) economic zone,” Batongbacal said. “Any rights to resources and to establish outposts belongs to the Philippines.”
China on Tuesday reiterated its demand that the Philippines tow away the “grounded” vessel immediately, while Beijing’s Embassy in Manila spotlighted what it said was U.S. interference in the issue.
“The South China Sea is not a ‘hunting ground’ for countries outside the region to meddle with, sow discord and provoke conflicts. For a time, the U.S. has been inciting and supporting the Philippines attempts to overhaul and reinforce its military vessel that was deliberately ‘grounded’ on Ren’ai Jiao,” the embassy said, using the Chinese name for the Second Thomas Shoal.
It also slammed Washington for rallying “certain allies to persistently sensationalize the South China Sea issue, extensively hype up the recent maritime incident and attack China’s legitimate and lawful actions at sea.”
But despite the fiery rhetoric, neither the Philippines nor the U.S. appear willing to back down, with Manila saying late Tuesday that their military was looking to resume resupply operations to the Sierra Madre within the next two weeks.
With the ball now in China’s court, other nations — even those without claims in the South China Sea — will be watching closely to see how the issue proceeds.
“If China succeeds in kicking the Philippines out, they will use the same strategy for all other nations and islands in the region,” Batongbacal said. “It is important for the Philippines to not let this happen, since it will be the first step.”
Staff writer Jesse Johnson contributed to this report