The Philippines accuses China of pointing a “military-grade laser light” at its coastguard ship and making “dangerous” maneuvers to prevent it from resupplying a detachment at an atoll in the disputed South China Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship Malapascua spotted the Chinese coastguard vessel on February 6 while resupplying personnel stationed at Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, around 10 nautical miles (18.5km) away. On Monday, the coastguard reported the Chinese ship’s laser twice blinded the Malapascua’s bridge crew.
PCG reported the Malapascua headed near Lawak Island after risky maneuvers. Ayungin Shoal is 105 nautical miles (195km) northwest of Palawan in the contested Spratly Islands. A tiny handful of Philippine troops live on the Sierra Madre, a rusty second-world-war ship that was grounded there in 1999 to assert the Philippines’ claim to the island chain. “The purposeful blockage of Philippine government ships to supply food and supplies to our military soldiers on board the BRP SIERRA MADRE is a flagrant disregard for, and a clear infringement of, Philippine sovereign rights in this region of the West Philippine Sea,” the statement stated. In August, China banned its ships from approaching the shoal, the PCG stated. The statement stated two Chinese Maritime Militia ships formed a “blockade” with two coastguard boats. As the Philippine resupply vessel approached, one coastguard ship removed its “70 mm naval armament” cover. Ayungin Shoal, in the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone, has been tense. Three Chinese coastguard ships stopped and shot water cannon on two Philippine boats in November 2021, forcing them to abandon their Sierra Madre replenishment. China has built military sites on rocky outcrops and deployed the coastguard, marine militia, and fishing vessels to support its claim to practically the entire South China Sea. Taiwan, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian nations claim the sea. China’s claim to the canal was ruled to have “no legal foundation” in 2016 after Manila sued Beijing. Beijing rejects the verdict. The PCG pledged to defend the Philippines’ “sovereignty and rights” and Sierra Madre soldiers.
“Despite the risky maneuver of the much bigger CCG ships and their aggressive acts at sea, the PCG ships will always stay in the West Philippine Sea to continue our presence and enforce our sovereign rights,” stated PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio M Abu. The Philippines recently granted the US access to several military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). It increased security relations with Japan last week.
