US, Japan, Australia hit China over Philippine ship ramming

MANILA, Philippines — The United States has denounced what it calls China’s “dangerous” behavior after a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel intentionally collided with a Philippine ship near Escoda Shoal on Saturday.

In a statement released on Sunday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reaffirmed America’s support for the Philippines, condemning the aggressive actions by China against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea.

“The United States stands with its ally, the Philippines, and condemns the dangerous and escalatory actions by the People’s Republic of China against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the vicinity of Sabina (Escoda) Shoal on Aug. 31,” Miller stated.

The incident involved a CCG vessel deliberately ramming the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship BRP Teresa Magbanua three times as it was conducting navigation exercises within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The collision caused damage to the Philippine vessel and endangered the lives of the crew.

This event marks the fifth maritime confrontation in the region within a month.

“This is the latest in a series of dangerous and escalatory actions by the PRC. Throughout August 2024, the PRC has aggressively disrupted lawful Philippine aerial and maritime operations in the South China Sea, including at Sabina Shoal,” Miller added.

Washington also called on China to align its claims and actions with international law and urged Beijing to cease its dangerous and destabilizing conduct.

The State Department further warned that China’s unlawful claims of “territorial sovereignty” over ocean areas where no land exists, and its increasingly aggressive actions to enforce them, pose a threat to the freedom of navigation and overflight for all nations.

The U.S. reiterated its commitment to defending the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), emphasizing that Article IV of the 1951 agreement extends to armed attacks on Philippine forces, public vessels, or aircraft—including those of the Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed at Escoda Shoal since April to prevent potential reclamation activities by China. This deployment followed reports from marine science researchers at the University of the Philippines of crushed corals dumped in the area.

Japan and Australia Express Concerns

Japan and Australia also voiced their concerns regarding the incident. Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo expressed “serious concern” over the repeated confrontations in the West Philippine Sea. He emphasized Japan’s commitment to upholding the rule of law at sea and opposing the use of force or coercion.

“As a stakeholder of the SCS, Japan is seriously concerned about the repeated incidents, including the collision by a CCG vessel against a Philippine vessel,” Endo wrote on X. “Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.”

Australian Ambassador HK Yu also criticized China’s “destabilizing” actions, stating, “Australia shares the Philippines’ concerns about China’s destabilizing behavior at Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. Repeatedly ramming vessels is unacceptable and dangerous. All countries must comply with international law. The 2016 Arbitral Award is binding on its parties.”

The Japanese embassy responded to a statement from the Chinese embassy, asserting that the recent actions in the South China Sea are directly related to regional peace and stability, a legitimate concern of the international community. Japan reiterated its strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force or coercion and emphasized the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Speculation of China’s Intentions at Escoda Shoal

Ray Powell, director of the U.S.-based ocean monitoring group SeaLight, raised concerns that China might be attempting to remove the BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Powell pointed to a photo released by the PCG that showed at least two CCG vessels and two People’s Liberation Army Navy tugboats near the Philippine ship, suggesting that these vessels might be used to tow the BRP Teresa Magbanua away from the shoal.

“This is the first documented sighting of these vessels at Sabina Shoal to my knowledge, and it’s hard to imagine what their purpose might be,” Powell said. “The idea that they may have been sent there to push the BRP Teresa Magbanua out of the shoal can’t be discounted.” /Philstar