Manila to file protest vs Beijing over latest water cannon incident

THE PHILIPPINES will file a diplomatic protest against China over the latest incident in the South China Sea that involved a Chinese Coast Guard vessel firing water cannons at a Philippine boat around Scarborough Shoal, according to the Philippine Foreign Affairs secretary.

“We will be submitting our protest,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo told reporters on the sidelines of the exchange of notes for Japan’s pledge of P611-million official security assistance to the Philippines in Pasay City, based on a transcript sent to reporters via WhatsApp.

“Certainly, we don’t understand why China again is repeating these actions which are clearly illegal,” citing Wednesday’s incident in Scarborough Shoal.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said the Chinese Coast Guard vessel fired a cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, “aiming directly at the vessel’s navigational antennas” while it was located 16 nautical miles south of Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has so far filed 193 diplomatic protests over China’s actions in the South China Sea, 60 of which being filed this year, Philippine Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ma. Teresita C. Daza told reporters in a WhatsApp message on Thursday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian in a news briefing in Beijing late Wednesday, reiterated China’s claim that Scarborough Shoal was within its territory and that its coast guard did “what was necessary” to protect Chinese maritime rights.

“China calls on the Philippines to stop those infringement activities and provocations at once and not to challenge China’s firm resolve to defend our lawful rights and interests,” he said.

A 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea said Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing has effectively controlled since 2012, is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese, and Vietnamese fishermen.

China and the Philippines have sparred repeatedly this year over disputed areas of the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, one of Asia’s most contested features.

About $3 trillion worth of trade passes through the South China Sea annually, and it is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, apart from fish stocks.

Meanwhile, France has expressed concern over Wednesday’s water cannoning incident, citing the need for countries to abide by international law, according to the French Embassy in Manila.

“France renews its call for the respect of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and freedom of navigation,” it said in a statement late Wednesday.

“We oppose any threat or use of force contrary to international law and recall the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue.”

France also reaffirmed the 2016 ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling that voided China’s expansive claim of more than 80% of the waterway.

The European Union (EU) is looking to work with the Philippines on maritime routes awareness, cybersecurity, among other efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region, EU External Action Service Managing Director Niclas Kvarnström told a news briefing in Manila on Wednesday.

“Any escalation, here you are talking about the Philippines, which of course has a Mutual Defense treaty… the two largest militaries (China and US) in the world, goes without saying that that’s dangerous to have escalation so we would not like to see that,” he said.

The United States has also condemned China for its “unlawful use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers” in the South China Sea, its top envoy to Manila said on Wednesday.

China’s actions disrupted Philippine maritime operations and put lives at risk, Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said on social media platform X, adding that the US stands with likeminded allies in support of a free and open Pacific. — John Victor D. Ordoñez