MANILA — Chinese fishermen rammed and boarded a Philippine coast guard vessel near Sabina Shoal on Thursday in the most violent incident at the contested reef in a decade, according to the Philippines defence department. At least four Filipino crew members were wounded and one Chinese trawler was set ablaze before the confrontation ended.
The Philippine coast guard said it was conducting a routine surveillance mission when approximately 40 Chinese fishing vessels surrounded the BRP Malabrigo and attempted to board. When the crew resisted, the Chinese fishermen used iron bars and boat hooks, and the coast guard commander ordered warning shots to be fired.
Manila deployed a naval frigate to the area following the incident and filed a formal protest with Beijing through diplomatic channels. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the confrontation a “serious escalation” and said the Philippines would bring the matter before the United Nations. The US embassy in Manila said it was “closely monitoring” the situation.
China’s coast guard said the Philippine vessels had “illegally entered Chinese territorial waters” and that its fishermen were conducting “normal fishing activities.” Beijing demanded the Philippines “stop making provocations” and said it would “resolutely safeguard its maritime rights.”
Thursday’s confrontation is the first time Chinese fishermen have physically boarded a Philippine government vessel in contested waters. The Philippines filed for UN arbitration in 2013 over China’s South China Sea claims, and the tribunal ruled largely in Manila’s favour, but Beijing has refused to recognise the ruling.
Sources: Reuters, AP, Philippines Daily Inquirer, South China Morning Post, BBC, ABS-CBN News