Chinese Coast-Guard Warships Block Philippine Small Boats in South China Sea

By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News

China is underscoring its disputed claims in the South China Sea by ramping up actions against Philippine ships and territory that Manila says is in its exclusive economic zone.

According to multiple reports, China deployed more coast guard ships on June 14 to stop a Philippine vessel from releasing small boats to land on islets near a reef that both countries claim. The Chinese coast guard released video of the incident and told the Global Times it warned the Philippine ship in both Chinese and English and then took what it called “restrictive measures.”

The Philippines reportedly denied that sailors on board its ship pointed guns at the Chinese, saying they were only holding on to their weapons.

All this took place just hours before China began a new policy of detaining foreigners in disputed areas of the South China Sea for 60 days without trial. Beijing also said that foreign ships that have “illegally entered China’s territorial waters and the adjacent waters may be detained in accordance with the law…”

Warrior Talks to Principal Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Army – Acquisition, Logistics & Technology

The dispute all has to do with two shoals that lie within the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone. China has ignored that designation and claims 90 percent of the South China Sea as its own. The result: in recent months, China’s coast guard has used water cannon and collision tactics to harass Philippine supply and patrol ships.