Published October 21, 2023
European Union, Canada and the U.S. condemned the communist China after Chinese vessels collided with Philippine boats on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine navy ship, on Second Thomas Shoal.
Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is an atoll in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, 105 nautical miles west of Palawan, Philippines. Claimed by several nations but located in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, the atoll is currently militarily occupied by the Philippines.
The incident occurred on Sunday, when the China Coast Guard vessel 5203 (CCGV 5203) engaged in dangerous blocking maneuvers, leading to a collision with the Philippine indigenous resupply boat named Unaiza May 2 (UM2).
Furthermore, during the same resupply mission, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel MRRV 4409 was bumped by the Chinese Maritime Militia vessel 00003 (CMMV 00003) while positioned approximately 6.4NM Northeast of Ayungin Shoal.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) called the move “provocative, irresponsible and illegal” as the incident “imperiled the safety of the crew” of the Filipino boats, CNN Philippines reported.
“The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea condemns in the strongest degree the latest dangerous, irresponsible, and illegal actions of the CCG and the Chinese Maritime Militia done this morning, in violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction and in utter blatant disregard of the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and relevant international maritime conventions, and the 2016 Arbitral Award” the task force said in a statement.
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SOURCE: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/10/eu-us-canada-voice-strong-condemnation-against-communist/
RELATED: China, Philippines trade accusations over South China Sea clash
FILE PHOTO: A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has been aground since 1999 and became a Philippine military detachment on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea March 29, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Published October 22, 2023
China and the Philippines traded accusations over a collision in disputed waters of the South China Sea as Chinese vessels blocked Philippine boats supplying forces there on Sunday in the latest of a series of maritime confrontations.
The two countries have had numerous run-ins in the South China Sea in recent months, especially near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands.
The Philippines has sent supplies to troops stationed on a rusted World War Two-era transport ship used as an outpost on the shoal, prompting China’s coastguard to repeatedly deploy vessels to block the resupply missions.
In the incident early on Sunday, China’s coastguard said there had been a “slight collision” between one of its ships and the Philippine boat while the coastguard was “lawfully” blocking the boat from transporting “illegal construction materials” to the warship.
Manila responded by condemning “in the strongest degree” the “dangerous blocking manoeuvres” of the Chinese vessel.
China’s “dangerous, irresponsible and illegal actions” were “in violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction”, Manila’s Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement.
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SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-says-it-lawfully-blocked-philippine-ships-going-disputed-shoal-2023-10-22/
RELATED: Chinese ship collides with PH boat on supply mission to Ayungin Shoal
Screenshot of video taken by resupply boat Unaiza May 2 (From video posted by AFP Facebook)
Published October 21, 2023
MANILA – A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a Philippine supply boat, which was on a regular rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the detachment manning the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on Sunday morning.
A statement from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said “dangerous blocking maneuvers” by the CCG caused the collision.
“At around 0604H (6:04 a.m.) this morning, while conducting a regular and routine Rotation and Resupply (RORE) mission to BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57), dangerous blocking maneuvers of China Coast Guard vessel 5203 (CCGV-5203) caused it to collide with the Armed Forces of the Philippines-contracted indigenous resupply boat Unaiza May 2 (UM2) approximately 13.5 nautical miles east northeast of LS-57,” read the NTF-WPS statement released shortly before noon.
The NTF-WPS did not specify what damage Unaiza May 2 sustained in the collision or whether it completed its mission.
“During the same RORE mission, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel MRRV-4409’s port side was bumped by Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessel 00003 (CMMV-00003) while it was lying to approximately 6.4NM (nautical miles) northeast of Ayungin Shoal,” the NTF-WPS added.
It added that the RORE mission was ongoing as of posting time, with Unaiza May 1 (UM1) already with BRP Sierra Madre troops.
“The NTF-WPS condemns in the strongest degree the latest dangerous, irresponsible, and illegal actions of the CCG and the CMM done this morning, in violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction and in utter blatant disregard of the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and relevant international maritime conventions, and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the NTF-WPS said.
