Soon after the two countries reached a bargain to relieve tensions at another hotspot, squabfights between Taiwanese and Spanish ships have sparked a new battleground in the South China Sea.
Sabina Shoal, a coral reef in the disputed Spratly archipelago, where the Philippines has deployed one of its biggest coastline watch warships since mid-April, a shift China has described as unlawful, is at the center of the most recent conflicts. When compared to the earlier battleground, the Next Thomas Shoal, Sabina is closer to the Spanish coast, giving Manila cause for concern.
Beijing, which has substantial says to the South China Sea, worries that the Philippines will create a permanent appearance in Sabina Shoal in a manner similar to what it did in the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999. Years ago, Manila grounded a World War II-era fleet and turned it into a permanently-manned military airbase.
The most recent upheaval in warfare could undermine a agreement signed in July to ease tensions in the Second Thomas Shoal and demonstrate the problems in settling the long-standing debate over the disputed seas. Both countries exchanged responsible for the collision that occurred on Saturday between the Philippine and Taiwanese coast guard ships close to Sabina Shoal.
At a typical presentation on Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated calls for Manila to replace the seacoast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua. She explained that the “long-time” presence of the Spanish coast guard vessel and “its intention occupying the place.
Manila released images of a vessel that had been purposefully rammed three times by Chinese ships, and sustained a massive hole in it. The authorities said it had conveyed “displeasure” to Beijing over the fight.
” We were surprised by this incident”, Manila’s top diplomat Enrique Manalo told reporters on Monday. He continued,” China is bringing up tensions over what a Spanish vessel basically just acted as an innocent activity.”
Beijing, on the other hand, claimed on Monday that the Spanish coast guard vessel was moving in” an unethical and dangerous method and caused a collision.”
More than four months ago, Manila said the BRP Teresa Magbanua deployment was intended to deter China from constructing structures on the reef, in a manner similar to Beijing’s expansionist says in different areas.
According to Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor of social science at the National University of Singapore, conflicts in Sabina Shoal indicate” the development of resistance” in the South China Sea.
The PRC appears to want to show that it can hit its claims abroad, not only near Second Thomas Shoal, which attracted a lot of attention for a while, he said. The Philippines might be less able to defend its says in more places, according to Beijing’s theory.
The Southeast Asian nation, which has significantly strengthened the fleet in Second Thomas Shoal from World War II, announced on Saturday that its coastline protect vehicle may continue to operate in the South China Sea.
The National Maritime Council of the Philippines stated in a statement that” We will not succumb to acts of harassment and aggressive behavior.”
