The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday launched movies of the August 5 incident whereby the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannon and carried out alleged harmful maneuvers towards Philippine vessels going to Ayungin Shoal within the West Philippine Sea.
In one of many movies, a CCG vessel was seen blasting a water cannon within the course of a PCG vessel. In one other video, a CCG vessel was seen immediately in entrance of a PCG vessel, blocking its path.
“Such actions by the CCG not only disregarded the safety of the PCG crew and the supply boats but also violated international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela mentioned.
“The PCG calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident,” he added.
On Sunday, the PCG reported that the CCG used water cannons towards its vessels going to Ayungin Shoal on Saturday for a resupply mission.
These PCG vessels had been escorting indigenous boats chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ship meals, water, gasoline, and different provides to navy troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre.
The CCG mentioned it had taken “necessary controls” towards Philippines boats that had “illegally” entered its waters.
“Two repair ships and two coast guard ships from the Philippines illegally broke into the waters… in China’s Nansha Islands,” CCG spokesperson Gan Yu mentioned in an Agence France-Presse report, including that Beijing had “implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law and stopped Philippine ships carrying illegal building materials.”
The United States backed the Philippines within the newest assault of the CCG towards the PCG vessels en path to Ayungin Shoal for a resupply mission, saying that it immediately threatens the peace and stability within the area.
“The United States reiterates, pursuant to the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines. The United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the arbitral ruling as well as to respect the freedom of navigation – a right to which all states are entitled,” it added.
The US additionally reaffirmed that an armed assault on Philippine public vessels, plane, and armed forces would invoke mutual protection commitments below Article IV of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty of the Philippines and US.
In June, two CCG vessels additionally made “dangerous maneuvers” that might have triggered a collision with two PCG ships close to Ayungin Shoal.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, however, mentioned in July that the maneuvers of their vessels in Ayungin Shoal had been “professional and restrained.”
The PCG in February additionally accused a CCG vessel of pointing a “military-grade” laser mild at one among its vessels supporting a navy rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.
China defended the transfer by saying that the Philippines vessel was intruding into Chinese territory.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated Beijing’s large claims within the South China Sea in July 2016.
“The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’,” the Permanent Court of Arbitration mentioned.
China nonetheless mentioned it could ignore the ruling. —KG, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
