China’s Communist government acknowledged on Wednesday that it had boarded a Philippine ship by force and driven it out of Philippine territorial waters. China called the act of piracy a “police act” because the Philippine vessel had illegally entered waters claimed by China.
The Philippine military said its troops used their “bare hands” to repel Chinese “barbarians” and has demanded compensation from China for its actions during the incident.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) posted video and photos showing Chinese troops attacking Philippine troops on Wednesday night. Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) equipped with knives, axes and poles.
“The CCG personnel were violent while pulling the AFP RHIB by the rope, threatening to injure AFP soldiers with pickaxes, and used their sirens to create confusion, disrupt communications and distract AFP forces, exacerbating the hostile and dangerous situation.” pic.twitter.com/a8cPaGGH8j
— Philippine Army (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024
The CCG swarmed an AFP rigid-hulled rubber boat (RHIB) that was already anchored alongside the BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) and escalated their attacks by brandishing pointed weapons and making explicit threats to harm the Philippine military. pic.twitter.com/huEPCBXPah
— Philippine Army (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024
Like many moments of rising tension between China and the Philippines, Monday’s incident occurred as Philippine troops were attempting to resupply an outpost on Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines and Ren’ai Shoal in China.
The shoal is considered a “disputed” area, but the International Court of Justice Rejected China claimed the area in 2016, but it has ignored the ruling and has been trying to seize it by force ever since.
In this image made from video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP BAGACAY (MRRV-4410) receives water cannon fire from the Chinese Coast Guard as it approaches waters near Scarborough Shoal (locally known as Bajo de Masinloc) in the South China Sea on April 30, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via The Associated Press, File)
The Philippine military has a small number of soldiers stationed at the base. Created By intentionally operating aging ships called BRPs Sierra Madre It ran aground in 1999. Chinese vessels have continually disrupted resupply and personnel exchange operations at Philippine bases. Chinese interference has become increasingly aggressive, involving tactics such as dangerous maneuvers, ramming and firing water cannons at Philippine ships.
The Philippine military said the China Coast Guard (CCG) escalated the situation on Monday. Poke in They boarded a Philippine supply ship and were carrying swords and knives. The Chinese vessel was much larger than the three Philippine ships, which included two RHIBs and a small civilian boat contracted by the military to transport supplies.
Philippine troops fought back with their bare hands, wounding several soldiers, including one who reportedly lost a thumb when the rubber boat he was riding in was hit by a Chinese steel boat.
Philippine military commander Gen. Romeo Bronner (AFP) on Wednesday described China’s actions as “piracy” and demanded that China pay compensation for damages to the Philippine ship and return the dismantled rifles it seized, which were to be handed over to troops stationed in Philippine waters. Sierra Madre.
Crammed in the middle of the two CCG boats was an AFP rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) that was forcibly surrounded, dragged and eventually towed away from BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) in an attempt to isolate it from the rest of the AFP forces. pic.twitter.com/1kZRx3Lvay
— Philippine Army (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024
Bronner described the one-sided battle as a mixed group of eight Chinese steel-hulled and RHIBs swarming the Philippine ship before the Chinese used blades to slash through the inflatable hulls.
“Let them do this to us. [assets]To me this is piracy because they [our vessel] “They took our equipment illegally. Once again, they acted like pirates,” Bronner said. Translated According to a Philippine news site, Rappler, like many Philippine government officials, Bronner mixed Filipino and English when he spoke.
General Bronner noted that Philippine military forces cannot carry firearms in the Spratlys region to avoid escalating tensions, which is why resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal are conducted by RHIBs and civilian vessels, not Philippine Navy vessels. General Bronner noted that the Chinese military would likely follow similar de-escalation protocols.
“The China Coast Guard personnel had knives, but our personnel fought with their bare hands. That’s the important thing. We were outnumbered and their weapons were unexpected, but our personnel fought back with all they had,” he said.
“We want to dispel the impression that our soldiers are giving the Coast Guard their way, allowing them to rob things and destroy ships,” he said. SaidHe praised the troops for fighting back bravely “despite their limitations.”
“I admire the self-restraint of the Filipino soldiers. Our aim is also to prevent war,” he said.
CCG personnel then began throwing stones and other objects at our personnel and also slashed the RHIB, rendering it inoperable, while the siren continued to blare.
— Philippine Army (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024
Bronner presented the Wounded Soldier Medal to Seaman 1st Class Underwater Operator Jefferson Facundo, who lost a thumb.
in statement In a post on AFP’s Facebook account, Bronner said the China Coast Guard “has no right or legal authority to interfere with our legitimate activities or cause damage to our assets within our exclusive economic zone.”
“This reckless and aggressive act caused bodily harm and constitutes a clear violation of international maritime law, Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights,” he said.
Commodore Jay Tarriera of the Philippine Coast Guard It is called It condemned the China Coast Guard as “barbaric” for blatantly using “physical attacks and violence” to obstruct legitimate humanitarian aid efforts.
“Allowing China to continue with these provocative, unprofessional and inhumane acts will not only defeat our fight in the West Philippine Sea, it will also allow humanity to once again trample its mercy with acts of barbarism, demonstrating clearly that right is only defined by strength,” he said.
Talliera Accused China accused the United States, which has a defense agreement with the Philippines, of trying to provoke a rash reaction “to justify its false claim that Washington really wants to go to war with Beijing.”
The United States, Canada and Japan also condemned China’s actions. US Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Kay Carson Called them “Aggressive and dangerous conduct” caused “bodily injury, damage to Philippine vessels and disruption of lawful maritime activities.”
Carson noted that China has used force to prevent the supply of “food, water and essential supplies” to Philippine military forces operating within its exclusive economic zone.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Philippines Kazuya Endo Expressed “The government is deeply concerned by the repeated dangerous and aggressive actions by the China Coast Guard, which have put Filipino personnel at risk and caused damage to Philippine vessels,” it said.
“We support the Philippines and will work with like-minded countries to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” Endo said.
Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman be criticized It condemned China’s “dangerous and destabilizing actions” that are “contrary to the People’s Republic of China’s obligations under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
“Furthermore, reports of Chinese boarding and towing Philippine vessels are of serious concern. These actions endanger peace, stability and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” Hartman said.
China’s state-run Global Times on wednesday ClaimedDespite all evidence to the contrary, the China Coast Guard maintains that it acted professionally and with restraint when “seizing, boarding, inspecting and expelling Philippine vessels.”
“CCG’s enforcement actions were aimed at disrupting illegal Philippine supply and did not include direct action against Filipino personnel,” it said. Global Times “, a claim strongly disagreed with by Marine Petty Officer 1st Class Jefferson Facundo, an underwater operator.
of Global Times China falsely accused the Philippines of intruding into Chinese territorial waters and taking “dangerous actions that endanger the security of both sides.” Sierra Madre Because the activities at Second Thomas Shoal are “illegal,” anything the Filipinos do to resupply the base is a crime, and anything the Chinese military does to stop them is legitimate “law enforcement.”
of Global Times Oddly enough, it even accused the Philippines of using “gray zone tactics,” which is actually China’s preferred tactic to weaken its opponents until they cave to Beijing’s demands.
Grey zone warfare involves wearing down smaller military forces by taking provocative actions and forcing them to respond to and monitor Chinese actions. In the case of Taiwan, it would have to constantly counter Chinese aggression. Launch a ship or plane To monitor Chinese troops entering the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Grey zone operations are an intimidation tactic that only works when the target is much smaller than the aggressor, and the idea that the Philippines can “wear down” China by directing a few supply ships into Chinese forces that outnumber them six to one is absurd.
Just in case, Global Times He accused Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of stirring up trouble with China to divert attention from “the economy, living standards and social problems.”
