China, Philippines accuse each other of reckless manoeuvres at Scarborough Shoal amid rising South China Sea tensions

MANILA(Philippines): China and the  accused one another on Tuesday of perilous actions in a heavily contested shoal in the South China Sea, marking the latest clash over the maritime area, according to a report from The Japan Times.

A vessel from the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) accelerated and maneuverer on Monday to obstruct the navigation path of a Philippine boat approximately 36 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal, as reported by the Philippine Coast Guard and The Japan Times.

“This incident underscores the CCG’s failure to adhere to international standards… and demonstrates a stark disregard for maritime safety,” the report mentioned, as quoted by The Japan Times.

China’s coast guard claimed that the Philippine ship “hazardously approached” its vessel and crossed its course, alleging that it attempted to create a false collision, according to Xinhua on Tuesday. “They unlawfully neared China’s regular sailing coast guard ship in a perilous manner, posing a threat to the safety of China’s personnel and vessels,” Xinhua reported, as cited by The Japan Times.

In the past two years, tensions between China and the Philippines regarding the South China Sea have intensified, particularly around Scarborough Shoal, a crucial fishing area both nations assert as their own. As stated by The Japan Times, China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, a critical passageway for over $3 trillion in annual maritime commerce, portions of which are also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sent an aircraft to confront a Chinese research vessel that it claimed was operating without permission in its northern waters near Taiwan. The Chinese research vessel Zhong Shan Da Xue was detected about 78 nautical miles off the northern island province of Batanes and did not reply to attempts by the Philippine Coast Guard’s Islander aircraft to establish radio communication, according to the report from The Japan Times.

“PCG aviators highlighted in their radio challenge that the aforementioned Chinese vessel does not have the authorisation to conduct marine scientific research within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines,” the coast guard stated, as quoted by The Japan Times. (ANI)