UPDATE - Philippines summons Chinese envoy over latest 'aggressive actions' in South China Sea

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA)- The Philippines said Monday it summoned the Chinese envoy to express "strong protest" over "aggressive actions" by the Chinese Coast Guard against its rotation and resupply mission in South China Sea on Saturday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in a statement said the Philippine Embassy in Beijing was also instructed to lodge the same démarche with the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Beijing and Manila have a long history of maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea amid frequent confrontations between their vessels near disputed reefs in recent months.

The latest incident took place Saturday near to resupply Filipino troops garrisoned on the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded navy ship.

Manila alleged that the China Coast Guard blocked its supply vessel and damaged it with water cannon, injuring three crew members near the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands during a regular mission.

Beijing and Manila have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal, Bai Co May, and Ren'ai Jiao, which is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

"The Philippines demands that Chinese vessels leave the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and the Philippine exclusive economic zone immediately," the statement said.

It urged China to take the "correct track of abiding by international law and respecting the legitimate rights of other states like the Philippines, and to cease and desist from its continued violation of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award."

Meanwhile, Beijing said it demanded Manila to “immediately stop infringing and provoking.”

“If they continue to act recklessly, China will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in the Chinese capital.

Lin blamed Washington over tensions between Beijing and Manila.

“The US, which is a non-party to the South China Sea issue, has repeatedly interfered in and instigated maritime disputes between China and the Philippines, baselessly attacking and accusing China in an attempt to disrupt regional stability,” Lin said, reacting to US State Department's statement remarks on the South China Sea.

China’s Coast Guard has defended its actions, describing them as "lawful regulation, interception and expulsion" of a foreign vessel that "tried to forcefully intrude" into Chinese waters.


*Aamir Latif contributed to the story from Pakistan