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Newsweek
09-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Video Shows China Navy Ship in Close Encounter With US Ally
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philippines has protested what it called "aggressive and unsafe maneuvers" by two Chinese warships following a recent face-off near a disputed South China Sea feature. The encounter was notable for the involvement of naval vessels—a rare occurrence in a long-running dispute more commonly played out by the nations' coast guards, seen as posing a lower risk of escalation into an armed conflict. Why It Matters The incident took place Monday at Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground lying within the Philippines' maritime zone that China seized de facto control over after a 2012 standoff. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, citing so-called historical rights—despite a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal that rejected most of its claims. This has put Beijing at odds with several Southeast Asian neighbors, including U.S. defense treaty ally the Philippines. The country's pushback has resulted in sometimes dramatic confrontations with Chinese maritime forces. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Philippine military with written requests for comment. What To Know According to a statement from the Philippine military, Chinese ships intercepted a Philippine Navy corvette, the BRP Emilio Jacinto, while it was "conducting routine and lawful maritime patrol operations" in support of the Philippine fisheries bureau and coast guard about 13.5 miles southeast of Scarborough Shoal—known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Island. Jacinto-class Philippine frigate the BRP Apolinario Mabini is seen during the U.S.-Philippine Balikatan exercise on March 14, 2010. Jacinto-class Philippine frigate the BRP Apolinario Mabini is seen during the U.S.-Philippine Balikatan exercise on March 14, 2010. U.S. Navy The Philippine footage shows one of the Chinese frigates tailing the Philippine vessel at close range. A frigate can also be seen cutting across its bow—a move the statement called "a high-risk maneuver that created the danger of collision." A Chinese coast guard ship was also said to have cut across the corvette's path. "The Armed Forces of the Philippines expresses its serious concern over these irresponsible actions by Chinese maritime forces. Such threatening and provocative conduct can lead to misunderstanding that may escalate tensions and impact regional stability," the statement said. The Chinese military's Southern Theater Command issued its own statement, accusing the Philippine side of intruding into the Scarborough Shoal's "territorial waters." What People Are Saying The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said in a statement: "Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory. We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately cease its infringing provocations and misleading hype. "The forces of the Theater Command remain on high alert at all times and will resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests, and firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea region." Collin Koh, a senior fellow at Singapore's Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Clearly the PLA Navy in recent times shifted from a recessed posture and allowing the CCG [Chinese Coast Guard] to take the front, to an active posture that sees PRC [People's Republic of China] gray hulls more forcefully intervening in lawful Philippine activities within the country's EEZ [exclusive economic zone], in conjunction with the CCG and maritime militia. What's Next Neither China nor the Philippines is likely to back down anytime soon, and Manila continues to strengthen security ties not only with the U.S. but also with Japan and other regional partners. It remains unclear whether China will move to normalize the deployment of naval vessels to further reinforce its territorial claims.
Jordan News
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
China Accuses Philippines of Illegally Entering Territorial Waters of "Scarborough Shoal" - Jordan News
China has accused Philippine naval vessels of illegally entering the territorial waters of the Scarborough Shoal, according to Chinese state media. اضافة اعلان A spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army Navy stated that a Philippine frigate entered the territorial waters of Huangyan Island on Sunday without China's permission. In response, the Southern Theater Command deployed its naval forces to track, monitor, warn, and expel the vessel in accordance with the law. The spokesperson condemned the actions of the Philippines, describing them as a serious violation of China's sovereignty and a breach of both Chinese and international law. He urged the Philippines to immediately cease what he called unlawful provocations. The Philippines refers to Huangyan Island as 'Scarborough Shoal,' and both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over the island and its surrounding reef. As of now, the Philippine government has not issued an official response to the incident, and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing has not commented on requests for clarification from Chinese and Western media. Maritime confrontations between the two nations have recently intensified, involving ship interceptions, water cannon use, and military warnings. Manila has accused Beijing of violating freedom of navigation and harassing its naval forces and local fishermen, while China maintains that its military actions are aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty and preventing foreign interference.
Japan Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Chinese Navy says Philippine warship illegally entered Scarborough Shoal waters
China's military said late Sunday that a Philippine naval vessel had 'illegally entered' the claimed territorial waters of Scarborough Shoal, a key flash point in the disputed South China Sea. The Chinese military's Southern Theater Command said it had organized navy vessels to track, monitor, warn and drive away the Philippine vessel, which it identified as the Apolinario Mabini corvette. The two countries have repeatedly butted heads over the South China Sea, usually with their respective coast guards. But Sunday's incident was a rare instance involving the militaries of both countries, and it came amid fears that a clash or accident could erupt into a full-blown conflict. Southern Theater Command spokesperson Zhao Zhiwei said in a statement that the actions by the Philippine side 'seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty.' "We warn the Philippine side to immediately cease its provocative actions; otherwise, the Philippine side will bear all consequences," Zhao said. "The troops of the theater command maintain a high alert level at all times, resolutely defending national sovereignty and security and firmly upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea region." A spokesperson for the Philippine Navy on Monday said the Chinese side's claims were 'part of shaping or malign info operations more likely for their internal audience.' 'Only the Philippine Navy and other Philippine flagged law enforcement ships have the authority and legal bases to challenge any ship within maritime zones,' local media quoted spokesperson Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad as saying. Disputed by the two countries for decades, Scarborough Shoal is an atoll located some 125 nautical miles (about 230 kilometers) west of the Philippine island of Luzon. Although Manila claims it as part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the uninhabited feature is effectively controlled by Beijing, which has maintained a constant coast guard presence there since 2012. The waters around, and skies above, the shoal have been the scene of several close encounters in recent years, including a Chinese military helicopter flight in February that came as close as 3 meters to a Philippine government plane on patrol while carrying a Japan Times reporter. The Feb. 18 incident was one of the countries' closest encounters ever in the skies above the disputed waterway — and one that could well have ended in disaster. Late last month, satellite images also showed that China had deployed two long-range H-6 bombers around the shoal — a move that came ahead of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to the Philippines. Under what it calls the "nine-dash line," Beijing maintains a claim to some 90% of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade flow every year, overlapping with the EEZs of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. China has, at the same time, hardened its position on the strategic waterway, which flies in the face of a July 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidating most of its claims in the South China Sea, prompting pushback from other claimants.
Saudi Gazette
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
China conducts routine patrols in South China Sea, warns Philippines against escalating tensions
BEIJING — The Chinese military conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea on Friday, a move that comes amid rising tensions with the Philippines over disputed maritime claims. Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said the patrols were part of regular operations. He criticized Manila's efforts to involve non-regional actors in joint patrols and to push what he called 'unlawful claims' in the region. 'These actions have introduced destabilizing factors and posed a threat to regional peace and stability,' Tian said. 'We warn the Philippine side against provoking incidents and engaging in actions that heighten tensions in the South China Sea.' Tian also dismissed Manila's attempts to gain external support, saying such efforts would prove futile. The patrols come just a day after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a visit to Asia, reiterated Washington's support for the Philippines in the face of what he described as 'threats from communist China.' — Agencies
New York Times
21-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Chinese Warships' Plan for Live Fire Drills Unnerves Australia and New Zealand
Chinese warships that have been sailing south along the eastern coast of Australia gave notice on Friday of their intent to conduct live fire exercises in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, forcing commercial flights to divert and putting the two countries on edge. The three naval vessels, which include one of the most powerful warships in the Chinese navy's fleet, were outside Australia's exclusive economic zone when the drills took place, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia told reporters. The ships were first detected in the region last week, according to Australian officials. While the Chinese vessels appeared to have acted in accordance with international law, the Australian and New Zealand militaries were closely monitoring them, Mr. Albanese said. He said it was not immediately clear what, if any, live fire drills were conducted Friday. Analysts have said that the unannounced presence of the warships near Australian territorial waters — thousands of miles away from the Chinese mainland — was a show of force. In Beijing, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry described the actions of the ships as 'far seas exercises.' They were organized by the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command, which also oversees the navy's activities in the South China Sea. 'The drill was carried out in a safe, standard and professional manner in accordance with relevant international law and international practice,' the spokesman, Guo Jiakun, said. Airservices Australia, which manages air traffic in the region, said in a statement that it had advised airlines and radioed pilots with planned flights to avoid parts of the Tasman Sea 'as a precaution." Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, said that she was concerned about the lack of 'transparency' in relation to the exercises and the notice given Friday, and said she would raise it with her counterpart, Wang Yi. They were scheduled to meet later Friday at the G20 meeting in South Africa. The ships, a guided missile cruiser, a frigate and a supply vessel, were first detected off Australia's northeast coast last week. This week, they passed through waters about 150 nautical miles from Sydney, well outside Australia's territorial waters but inside its exclusive economic zone. Australian officials have stressed that the Chinese ships have been traversing regional waters legally, but that they were closely monitoring their movements.
