Chinese vessels block Filipino ships in dramatic standoff at South China Sea
www.independent.co.uk
It’s ‘the closest dangerous manoeuvre’ by any Chinese coastguard ship against a Philippine patrol ship

A Chinese coastguard ship came dangerously close to a Philippine patrol ship in the South China Sea, sparking fears of a territorial dispute in the contested waters.

The Chinese ship manoeuvred and came within 4 metres of the patrol ship near the Second Thomas Shoal. One other Philippine coastguard vessel was blocked and surrounded by the Chinese coastguard and militia ships.

The altercation had dragged on for about eight hours on Wednesday after China formed a blockade in the high seas off the shoal that both nations have laid claim to.

Two supply boats being escorted by the Philippine coastguard had breached the Chinese blockade and delivered food and other supplies to a Filipino marine outpost at the shoal.

  • redcalcium@lemmy.instituteEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    China has long claimed sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, even though it overlaps with the waters of Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines.

    If China claimed this water, it’ll effectively become a south east asia country and eligible to join ASEAN /s