Philippines to China: Stop provocative actions in South China Sea
A Philippine flagged boat is blocked by a China Coast Guard vessel during an incident that resulted in a collision between the two vessels, in the disputed waters of the South China Sea in this screen grab obtained from handout video released October 22, 2023. | China Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS
MANILA —The Philippines repeated its call for China to stop its “provocative actions”, warning that its continued attempts to block Manila’s resupply missions to a disputed atoll in the South China Sea could have “disastrous results”.
Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson at the National Security Council, said in a press conference on Monday that China’s move to interfere with a resupply mission on Sunday resulted in damage to one of Manila’s boats but no one was harmed.
READ MORE: China ships hit PH boats doing resupply run in West Philippine Sea
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.
READ MORE: Philippine gov’t summons Chinese ambassador over collisions in South China Sea
Manila responded by condemning “in the strongest degree” the “dangerous blocking manoeuvres” of the Chinese vessel.
“We are relieved and thankful that no Filipino personnel were harmed. But we are concerned by the escalation and provocations by Chinese vessels who have no business being in the West Philippine Sea,” Malaya said.
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