Manila accuses China of dangerous maneuvers in South China Sea

Eight Philippine naval personnel were injured, one of them severely, on Monday when Chinese vessels blocked a Philippine resupply mission to the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, Philippine media reported.

The incident is the third this year in which Philippine service members have been hurt in confrontations with Chinese boats, and signals more aggressive tactics by China in its territorial dispute with the U.S. ally.

Philippine media reported that a member of the navy’s Special Operations Group lost a finger during a confrontation with Chinese troops. Six Philippine vessels were on a routine mission to deliver supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre outpost on the reef, which is called Ayungin Shoal in Tagalog, when they were intercepted.

Chinese soldiers targeted all six vessels, as well as their inflatable craft, and seized eight high-powered firearms from one boat, media reported on Tuesday. 

None of the Philippine vessels reached the shoal due to the “dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing” by the Chinese vessels, which included boats from the navy, the China Coast Guard and the maritime militia, media reported.

Philippine government officials said in a statement that the mission “was disrupted by the illegal and aggressive actions of Chinese maritime forces.” They did not elaborate

China ’s rejected the accusation. Its foreign ministry said that China “took necessary control measures to stop the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law” and that their maneuvers were “professional, restrained, justified, and lawful.”

U.S. Pentagon officials confirmed to the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) News that a Philippine sailor suffered severe injuries during the mission that also resulted in damage to Philippine vessels.

The U.S. State Department condemned China’s actions, which “reflect consistent disregard for the safety of Filipinos and for international law in the South China Sea.”

Dangerous actions

The incident was the third this year in which Philippine personnel have  been hurt on missions to rotate and resupply troops stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal.

On March 5 and March 23, Filipino crew members were injured when their supply boats were hit by water cannons from Chinese vessels. 

Analysts say the water cannon has become a favored tool of Chinese law enforcement agencies at sea, not only at the Second Thomas Shoal but also at Scarborough Shoal, another South China Sea hotspot, allowing Chinese forces to act more aggressively without using the force of firearms. 

In a video from March supplied by the Philippine Coast Guard, two Chinese vessels were seen firing water cannons from opposite sides of Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4, causing it damage.

“It’s mainly for firefighting since many coastguards have this role, but water cannon is also used for other purposes - including for maritime law enforcement,” said Collin Koh, a regional maritime expert.

“The use of water cannon falls short of use of kinetic force, by which we normally refer to as firepower weapons,” Koh said, pointing to what he sees as a “loophole” in regulating the use of water cannons in maritime disputes.  

Koh, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said that water cannon, “depending on the range at which it’s fired, the nature of the target and especially the water pressure itself, can potentially maim or kill.” 

“And if water cannon damages the vessel’s navigation system, it could heighten the risk of collision with other vessels, hence creating a physical hazard.”

Yet as navies typically don’t mount water cannon on  vessels, firing one does not constitute an armed attack – a basis to invoke a Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and Manila.

“Water cannons are certainly effective since China’s objective is to control smaller Philippine ships,” said Ray Powell, director of the SeaLight project at Stanford University in California who has been watching developments in the South China Sea.

“But not so effective for winning hearts and minds.”

Edited by Taejun Kang.