Philippine authorities said Saturday that three Filipino fishermen were injured and two fishing boats suffered “significant damage” after Chinese coast guard vessels launched water cannons at them and cut anchor lines.
The incident, which involved about 20 Philippine fishing boats, occurred on Friday near the Sabina Shoal, a fish-rich area in the South China Sea.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea despite international rulings that the claim is legally baseless.
What was said about the Sabina Shoal incident?
“The fishermen were targeted with water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers,” a spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement Saturday.
“Three fishermen suffered physical injuries, including lacerations and open wounds. Two [Filipino fishing boats] “High-pressure water cannon blasts also caused significant damage,” the spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriella, said in the statement.
“PCG [Philippine Coast Guard] “Calls on the Chinese coast guard to adhere to internationally recognized standards of conduct and prioritize the protection of life at sea rather than show off law enforcement that endangers the lives of innocent fishermen,” Tariela said.
He said Philippine Coast Guard vessels were initially blocked from reaching the area due to “unprofessional and unlawful intervention”, but on Saturday morning they were able to provide medical aid to the injured.
In a statement released Saturday, the China Coast Guard said it had “taken necessary control measures against Philippine vessels… including issuing warnings through loudspeakers and conducting external maneuvers to steer them away.”
Chinese territorial claims ‘without legal basis’
China refers to Sabina Shoal as Jianbin Reef, while the Philippines calls it Escoda Shoal.
The shoal is located in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, 150 km (95 mi) west of Palawan province.
China’s claims include territories intruding into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal ruled that Beijing’s territorial claims had no basis under international law, but China rejected the ruling.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn