Dispute over sea area

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(Bild: AFP/Philippine Coast Guard (PCG))

There was another incident between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea on Monday. According to the authorities in Manila, two Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons at a Philippine coast guard ship from two sides.

The "BRP Bagacay" was damaged in the process, the Philippine Coast Guard announced on Tuesday. The damage to the ship was "proof of the strong water pressure used by the Chinese coast guard in its harassment operations", it added. The incident occurred near the controversial Scarborough Shoal reef. The Philippines wanted to supply fishermen in the fishing area there with supplies.

Dispute over fish-rich reef has been going on for years
The fish-rich reef, called Huangyan Island in China, is largely underwater and is located around 230 kilometers from the northwest coast of the Philippines. It was at the center of a military incident between the two countries in 2012, after which Beijing occupied the reef. The International Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected China's territorial claims in 2016. Beijing ignored the ruling.

The Philippine Coast Guard's "BRP Bagacay" (pictured) was damaged in the water cannon attack.

(Bild: AFP/Philippine Coast Guard (PCG))

Floating barrier installed in front of reef
The Chinese Coast Guard has also once again installed a 380-metre-long floating barrier that covers the entire entrance to the reef and thus restricts access to the area, the Coast Guard added. Despite Beijing's "harassment and provocations", the Philippine ships continued their patrols.

Last September, the Philippine Coast Guard had already removed a floating barrier erected by China on part of the reef, which had been discovered during a routine patrol. Such chains of buoys are intended to prevent Filipino fishermen from entering the area, which is the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Increasing militarization by Beijing
China claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself. However, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also claim territories there. The resource-rich area is also considered an important global trade route. The USA and China's neighbors accuse Beijing of increasingly militarizing the region.