Latest news with #PhilippineBureauofFisheriesandAquaticResources
The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Chinese fighter 'intercepts' Philippine plane over disputed shoal, Manila says
A Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy helicopter is seen from aboard a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft in the skies above Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on Feb 18. - Photo: AFP-JIJI file OVER THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, South China Sea: A Chinese jet fighter "intercepted" a Philippine aircraft carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday (Aug 13), the Manila government said, days after two Chinese vessels collided in the area while allegedly trying to block a Philippine supply mission. A Reuters journalist aboard the Philippine Coast Guard flight watched as the Chinese fighter closed in on the small Cessna Caravan turboprop. At one point the Chinese fighter came within about 200 feet (61 metres) as it manoeuvred behind, above, and alongside the plane, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said. It was the latest sign of the persistent tensions between the two nations in the disputed South China Sea atoll. "While they were conducting the flight, they have been intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet," Tarriela told a press conference held afterwards. The encounter lasted 20 minutes, during which radio demands from one of two Chinese navy ships spotted below ordering the Philippine plane to "leave immediately" could be heard from the cockpit. The same day, two US warships - littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati and the destroyer USS Higgins - were spotted about 30 nautical miles away from the shoal, Tarriela said. China's military claimed it "drove away" the US destroyer after it entered the area without permission, but Washington said its ships were conducting lawful freedom of navigation operations. Located 200 km (124 miles) off the Philippines and inside its exclusive economic zone, Scarborough Shoal is valued for its rich fishing grounds and sheltered lagoon. On Monday, the PCG sent three vessels to carry supplies to dozens of Filipino fishermen in the atoll. It said Chinese vessels then intervened to carry out what it called a "hazardous" attempt to prevent the delivery, leading to the first known collision between two Chinese ships in the area. China has not confirmed if any crew were injured, and ignored Manila's offer of medical and rescue aid. Neither China's defence ministry nor its embassy in Manila has commented on the incident. On Monday, China's coast guard said it took necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from waters around the shoal. The United States also condemned Beijing's "reckless" actions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea via a U-shaped "nine-dash line," a claim invalidated by a 2016 arbitration ruling that also found China's blockade of the Scarborough shoal unlawful. Sovereignty over the shoal remains unresolved, but China, which rejects the ruling, has maintained a constant presence at the reef since seizing it in 2012, deploying coastguard vessels and "maritime militia". At least four Chinese coast guard vessels, and several ships identified by the PCG as "maritime militia," were visible in the area during Wednesday's patrol flight. - Reuters
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Footage Shows China Firing Water Cannon at US Ally Near Disputed Territory
The Philippines has released footage showing the Chinese coast guard deploying water cannons to drive away a fisheries bureau vessel operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment. China claims the South China Sea as its territory, citing vague historic rights. Beijing has dismissed as invalid a 2016 decision by a Hague-based arbitral court that rejected these claims. Since 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pushed back against the growing presence of Chinese maritime forces within the country's exclusive economic zone. This challenge has been met with Chinese blockades at disputed features and increasingly forceful measures, raising concerns that a miscalculation could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington and draw the United States into a conflict with China. On Friday morning, four vessels from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources arrived at Scarborough Shoal-a rich fishing ground-to distribute fuel subsidies to more than 20 local fishing boats, Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela wrote on X (formerly Twitter). At around 10 a.m., Chinese coast guard ships moved in and began conducting "aggressive maneuvers," Tarriela said. One Chinese vessel came within 16 yards of the Philippine ship BRP Datu Taradapit, about 18 miles southwest of Scarborough Shoal, carrying out blocking maneuvers and firing its water cannon, at one point striking the port quarter of the Philippine vessel, according to Tarriela. Another Chinese coast guard cutter fired its water cannon at the BRP Datu Tamblot, another fisheries bureau vessel, about 20 miles southeast of the shoal, but did not strike the boat directly. Tarriela said the Chinese ships monitored in the area included six coast guard vessels, two navy warships, and a number of ships belonging to the so-called Maritime Militia-paramilitary vessels that China describes as patriotic fishermen. "Despite the unprofessional and illegal actions of the Chinese Coast Guard, which endangered Filipino crew members and fishermen, BFAR vessels remained resolute in their mission to protect local fishing boats," Tarriela said. Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun, in a statement, accused the Datu Taradapit of "approaching and intruding" into the waters around Scarborough Shoal and said the coast guard had taken "necessary measures" to drive it away. "The Philippine side's actions have seriously violated China's sovereignty and violated international law and relevant provisions of Chinese law. The frequent provocations and nuisances by the Philippine side cannot change the fact that Scarborough Shoal belongs to China," he added. Scarborough Shoal sits about 140 miles west of the Philippines' Luzon Island and nearly 700 miles from China's southernmost province of Hainan. The area is well within the Southeast Asian country's exclusive economic zone, which extends 230 miles from its coastal baselines. The National Maritime Council, which operates under the Philippines' presidential office, in a statement: "These actions violate international law, specifically UNCLOS [the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] and the 2016 arbitral ruling and jeopardize the safety of Philippine personnel and local fishing communities." Bao Yinan, a maritime policy analyst, wrote for Chinese think tank the South China Sea Probing Initiative in an June 21 article: "Given that disputes between China and the Philippines in certain parts of the South China Sea in recent years have not been properly resolved, with periodic escalations occurring over the past two years, the likelihood of the two countries resolving their disputes through negotiation or judicial means in the short term appears minimal." Neither China nor the Philippines has signaled any willingness to back down. Tensions remain high, though the intensity of confrontations has eased somewhat since a June 2024 clash that left one sailor injured. Related Articles Photos Show US Air Force Training for Pacific WarHow 'Groundbreaking' Chinese Satellite Compares With StarlinkHow Iran Could Close the Strait of HormuzChina's Assertive Patrols Alarm US Pacific Ally 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Romualdez to foreign lawmakers: PH remains steadfast in protecting sovereignty in WPS
Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte touted the Philippines' readiness to defend its sovereign rights within its waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) before lawmakers from different countries of the world. Romualdez made the speech during the 29th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF) held in Spain on Thursday afternoon (Manila time). Romualdez cited the Philippines' commitment to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award issued by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration which upheld the Philippines' 200 nautical miles off territorial sea EEZ in West Philippine Sea and rejected China's sweeping nine-dash claims in the area. 'Let me be clear: the Philippines remains steadfast in protecting our rights and entitlements in the West Philippine Sea by upholding international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. We categorically reject attempts to undermine our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction through coercion or disinformation,' Romualdez said. 'Our approach is anchored on legal clarity, diplomatic dialogue, leveraging partnerships, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. We will not allow foreign narratives to distort the truth on the ground. Nor will we permit coercive actions to dictate our national destiny,' he added. Rule of Law The Speaker's remarks came in the aftermath of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) report on Thursday that a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship fired water cannon and sideswiped a Philippine BFAR vessel in Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) in the West Philippine Sea where the BFAR vessel is conducting a marine scientific research initiative. The said area is within the Philippines' EEZ. Prior to the BFAR incident, Chinese Coast Guard vessels had also used water cannons against Philippine supply boats in several incidents and conducted dangerous blocking maneuvers near Ayungin Shoal, as well as swarmed Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, which were all condemned by Philippine officials and international observers. 'These are not isolated incidents. This is not just a regional issue. It is a global test of whether the rule of law will prevail over brute force,' Romualdez added. The Speaker then called on the Philippines' fellow democratic nations to remain vigilant and united against gray-zone tactics, cyber-enabled propaganda, and the creeping erosion of maritime law and order. 'We serve not only as lawmakers but as standard-bearers of the democratic rule of law. In an age when misinformation, cyberattacks, and technological disruption threaten the very fabric of our societies, the need for vigilance and unity among democracies has never been greater,' Romualdez said. 'Forums like the PI-SF allow us to expand these initiatives globally. Here, we are not merely exchanging intelligence — we are building solidarity, mutual understanding, and the legislative muscle to defend freedom and prosperity in this rapidly shifting world,' Romualdez added. Hosted by the Spanish Senate and chaired by former US lawmaker Robert Pittenger of North Carolina, the 29th PI-SF convened over 40 nations to align strategies on countering global threats. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Qatar Tribune
22-05-2025
- Qatar Tribune
Philippines accuses China of ‘aggressive' sea tactics
ManilacTypeface:> The Philippines fisheries bureau has accused China's coastguard of firing water cannon and sideswiping a Filipino government vessel during a research voyage in the disputed South China Sea. The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources condemned on Thursday what it said was the 'aggressive interference' of the Chinese coastguard against the Datu Sanday and a second ship during the incident on Wednesday. The encounter occurred near a group of small sandbanks in the Spratly Islands where two Filipino ships were collecting sand samples 'as part of a marine scientific research initiative', the statement said. 'At approximately 0913H, CCG vessel 21559 water cannoned and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sandaytwice … putting at risk lives of its civilian personnel.' The 'aggressive interference, dangerous maneuvers, and illegal acts' damaged the Philippine ship's port bow and smokestack, according to the bureau's statement. The Chinese coastguard said the Philippine vessel 'dangerously' approached its ship. (Agencies)
Associated Press
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Chinese navy helicopter flies close to Philippine patrol plane over disputed shoal
The Cessna Caravan turbo-prop plane of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, defied the Chinese navy's order for it to leave and continued its routine patrol over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines. The plane was carrying an Associated Press journalist and other invited foreign media representatives, who witnessed the tense 30-minute standoff. (AP video by Joeal Calupitan)
