On Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that three Filipino fishermen suffered injuries and two fishing boats were seriously damaged after the Chinese Coast Guard deployed water cannons near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
This incident occurred on Friday at Sabina Shoal, where approximately two dozen Philippine fishing boats were active. Philippine authorities reported that Chinese vessels also employed blocking tactics and severed the anchor lines of several Filipino boats, endangering the crews.
In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard urged the Chinese Coast Guard to adhere to internationally accepted conduct standards and to prioritize the safety of lives at sea rather than employing aggressive enforcement methods that threaten innocent fishermen.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately comment. Meanwhile, the Chinese Coast Guard claimed on Friday that it had successfully expelled several Philippine vessels and implemented "control measures." Philippine officials interpreted this as an acknowledgment of improper actions, as coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela stated, “They admitted this evil wrongdoing to ordinary Filipino fishermen.”
The Philippine Coast Guard dispatched vessels to assist the injured fishermen, encountering multiple obstacles from Chinese ships. Nonetheless, rescuers managed to reach the fishermen, administer medical care, and provide vital supplies.
Sabina Shoal—also known as Escoda Shoal in the Philippines and Xianbin Reef in China—is situated in the Philippine exclusive economic zone, about 150 km (95 miles) west of Palawan province. China lays claim to almost the entire South China Sea, a crucial global shipping lane valued at over $3 trillion annually. These assertions infringe upon the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
An international arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that China's broad claims lacked legal justification. China has dismissed the ruling and continues to exert control over a significant portion of the South China Sea, often clashing with fishing and naval vessels from other nations.
This latest incident underscores the persistent tensions in the area, where fishermen frequently encounter hazardous situations due to conflicting territorial claims. The Philippine government has stressed the importance of maintaining calm and following international maritime law to safeguard its citizens.
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