Philippine coast guard rejects China’s ‘illegal stranding’ claim

The Philippine coast guard on Monday rejected a Chinese accusation that a Philippine vessel had been “illegally stranded” on a shoal in the South China Sea that both countries claim.

China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said on Sunday that several Philippine fishery patrol boats and fishing boats “have gathered in the waters near the Philippine Coast Guard Ship 9701, which was illegally stranded at Xianbin Reef.”

Xianbin Reef is the Chinese name for Sabina Reef, a low-tide elevation that is part of the Spratly islands and lies well inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, or EEZ. The Philippines refers to it as Escoda Reef. It is 75 nautical miles (140km) from the Philippine island of Palawan.

An EEZ gives a coastal state exclusive rights to regulate fishing activities, explore and exploit natural resources within the zone's waters, seabed and subsoil, according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

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“The Philippine ships' stay at Xianbin Reef violated China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Gan said.

The Chinese coast guard followed and monitored the Philippine ships “in accordance with the law and effectively controlled it,” Gan said.

‘Not stranded’

The Philippine coast guard rejected China’s allegation with a spokesperson saying that the coast guard vessel with hull number 9701 “is not stranded at Escoda Shoal.”  

Commodore Jay Tarriela told Radio Free Asia that the ship, known as BRP Teresa Magbanua was “intentionally deployed to maintain our presence and ensure the protection of this area of the West Philippine Sea,” referring to the part of the South China Sea within the country’s EEZ.

“Given our sovereign rights in these waters, the Philippine coast guard can remain there for as long as necessary,” Tarriela said.

In recent days, the coast guard has been dispatching inflatable boats from the BRP Teresa Magbanua to distribute fuel assistance to Filipino fishing boats in the area, he added.

The Philippine coast guard previously said that the 2,260-ton multi-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua has been monitoring the shoal since April after it was alleged that China may be attempting to reclaim land here.

This is the longest deployment by a Philippine coast guard vessel. 

The Philippines alleged in May that China may be carrying out illegal island building at Sabina Shoal as crushed corals had been dumped there – an initial indication of land reclamation. 

Satellite images provided by the earth imaging company Planet Labs and open source intelligence (OSINT) analysts say that the world’s largest coast guard ship China Coast Guard 5901, dubbed “The Monster” for its size, has been in the area since early July.

Beijing said the well-armed 12,000-ton “Monster” was conducting “China’s legitimate law enforcement activities” but Manila said its presence was for the intimidation of much smaller Philippine ships.

However, the Chinese vessel “did not disrupt the Philippine fuel distribution,” said Jay Tarriela.

The Philippines has intentionally grounded a ship onto a reef in the past.

In 1999, it ran an aging warship onto another disputed reef, the Second Thomas Shoal, to reinforce its claim there. Philippine supply missions to its soldiers on the rusty hulk have become a flashpoint with Chinese coast guard boats trying to stop them.

Edited by Mike Firn.