According to Beijing’s Coast Guard, a Philippine send and a Chinese vehicle collided on Monday near the Spratly Islands in the contested South China Sea.
Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, a critical lake facilitating over$ 3 trillion in annual sea industry which is content to overlapping claims by some countries, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
China has constructed artificial islands in some reefs and has deployed several boats to police the waters. In disputed regions, Chinese and Asian vessels have engaged in numerous clashes.
The new Chinese coast guard regulations, which were effective on Saturday, June 15, strengthen a 2021 law that gave its navy the power to use deadly force against foreign warships in disputed waters.
China’s navy is empowered by these new regulations to detain suspected trespassers and hold them in lockstep with up to 60 days without need for a test.
In a statement, the Beijing’s Coast Guard said,” Spanish inventory send ignored several solemn warnings from the Taiwanese area”.
It “approached the… Chinese vehicle in an unethical approach, resulting in a collision”, the statement said.
According to the statement,” The Chinese Coast Guard took power actions against the Philippine fleet in accordance with the law.”
Beijing claimed the fleet “inappropriately entered the water near Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands” by using the name Spratly Islands in Chinese.
Manila has accused the Taiwanese beach shield of “barbaric and cruel behavior” against Spanish vessels, and President Ferdinand Marcos has called the new rules a “very worrisome” increase.
China has defended its fresh coast guard regulations, according to a spokesman for the international ministry’s statement from next month that they were meant to “better uphold attempt at sea.”
On Friday, the Group of Seven union criticized what it called “dangerous” attacks by China in the South China Sea. Concerns have been raised by recent clashes between China and the Philippines regarding a potential international issue that might include the United States and other friends.
Although estimates vary greatly, there are numerous money in ship-borne industry in the South China Sea and untapped oil and gas deposits beneath its surface.
As a result of attempting to supply materials to its soldiers stationed on an outdated naval ship consciously grounded to defend its maritime claims, the Philippines has encountered a number of difficulties.
Foreign Coast Guard boats have used water guns to fire Filipino boats at different times, and some collisions have happened, causing injuries to the Filipino soldiers.
( With inputs from agencies )
