Latest news with #maritimedispute
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese ships collide during clash with Philippine coastguard in contested South China Sea
For more on this story: China's coastguard said on August 11, 2025, that it took 'necessary' measures to expel Philippine vessels from a contested feature in the South China Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard has released footage that allegedly shows two Chinese vessels colliding during the operation, leaving one heavily damaged. The Chinese coastguard said in a statement that they forced several Philippine coastguard and government vessels away from waters near Scarborough Shoal, known to China as Huangyan Island, after they 'ignored repeated warnings from the Chinese side and insistently intruded into the waterway'.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
China says it expelled Philippine vessels in disputed sea
China's coastguard says it has expelled Philippine vessels from waters around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea while Manila reports a collision in the confrontation. The Philippine boats were intercepted on Monday after they ignored warnings in an operation China's coastguard said was 'professional, standardised, legitimate and legal'. The incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest maritime routes, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim parts of the contested waters. 'The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away,' Gan Yu, a Chinese coastguard spokesperson, said in a statement. Manila, meanwhile, said a Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its own coastguard while chasing a Philippine patrol boat, and it released video footage of the confrontation. 'The [Chinese coastguard vessel] CCG 3104, which was chasing the [Philippine coastguard vessel] BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the [Philippine] vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA [People's Liberation Army] Navy warship,' spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement. 'This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,' he said. The incident occurred as the Philippine coastguard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, Tarriela added. Manila promises continued presence in disputed waterway Tarriela told the AFP news agency that the Chinese crew 'never responded' to the Philippine ship's offer of assistance. During the incident, the BRP Suluan was 'targeted with a water cannon' by the Chinese but 'successfully' evaded it, Tarriela's statement said. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the country's patrol vessels would 'continue to be present' in the area to defend and exercise Manila's sovereign rights over what it considers to be part of its territory. The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, has been a flashpoint of tension between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Marcos also addressed another source of tension with Beijing, stating China has 'misinterpreted' his recent comments saying Manila would be inevitably drawn into a conflict between China and Taiwan should one erupt. China accused Marcos of 'playing with fire' after the Philippine leader said during a visit to India that 'there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it' due to its proximity to Taiwan. 'We are, I think for propaganda purposes, misinterpreted,' Marcos said. 'War over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say.'
South China Morning Post
05-08-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Beijing ‘on high alert' for South China Sea disruption after Philippine-India patrol: PLA
Beijing is on high alert for New Delhi's involvement in South China Sea disputes after the first-ever joint patrol between India and the Philippines in the strategically important waters, which observers say may further complicate relations between India and China. The assessment was made as Indian and Philippine navies on Monday wrapped up their maritime cooperative activity (MCA), which coincided with a state visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to India. The MCA involved three Indian naval vessels, including a guided missile destroyer and an anti-submarine corvette. 05:22 Why the South China Sea dispute remains one of the region's most pressing issues Why the South China Sea dispute remains one of the region's most pressing issues Two Philippine Navy warships, including BRP Miguel Malvar, a guided missile frigate that was commissioned in May, also took part in the two-day patrol that 'spanned strategic waters' from Masinloc in Zambales province to Cabra Island in Occidental Mindoro and highlighted 'the growing security collaboration between the two Indo-Pacific partners', the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tweeted on Monday. Masinloc is a town on the Philippines' main island of Luzon, just 124 nautical miles (230km) east of Scarborough Shoal, a triangle-shaped chain of reefs and rocks that is at the centre of the recent maritime confrontations between Beijing and Manila. On Monday, AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr told local media that 'several' Chinese vessels had been spotted during the patrols, according to the Manila Bulletin. 'We didn't experience any untoward incidents, but there were still some vessels that shadowed us. We expected that already,' he said, adding that he hoped the joint patrol would allow more joint activities between Manila and Delhi.
Malay Mail
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Malaysia reaffirms sovereignty over Sulawesi Sea blocks, rejects ‘Ambalat' term
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia has reaffirmed its sovereign rights over the maritime area known as Blok ND-6 and ND-7 in the Sulawesi Sea, rejecting Indonesia's use of the term Ambalat to describe the disputed region. Mohamad Hasan, also known as Tok Mat, said that Indonesia's claim which refers to Ambalat covers parts of the Sulawesi Sea. 'Malaysia maintains that Blocks ND-6 and ND-7 are within Malaysian sovereign territory and the country's sovereign rights based on international law, supported by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in 2002. 'Therefore, the more accurate term for the area in question that aligns with Malaysia's position is the Sulawesi Sea, not Ambalat,' he told the Dewan Rakyat today. He explained that Ambalat is a term used by Indonesia to justify their claim to the area. To ensure clarity and prevent the issue from being politicised or exploited as campaign material particularly in the run-up to state elections, Mohamad Hasan said the ministry is ready to provide briefings to Members of Parliament and Sabah state assemblymen on the matter. 'We don't want this issue to be used to mislead the public, especially in Sabah and Sarawak. If there is a request, the ministry is prepared to arrange a suitable time for briefings to ensure all parties understand the issue,' he added.
