On Sunday, the Philippines voiced its criticism of the Chinese coast guard’s actions, deeming their installation of what they referred to as a ‘floating barrier’ in a contested region of the South China Sea as obstructive to Filipino vessels, hindering their access for fishing purposes.
Manila’s coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources have issued a robust condemnation of China’s installation of the barrier within a section of the Scarborough Shoal. Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the coast guard, expressed this disapproval on the X social media platform.
In a statement, “The Philippine coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources strongly condemn the China coast guard’s installation of a floating barrier in the Southeast portion of Bajo de Masinloc, which prevents Filipino fishing boats from entering the shoal and depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities.” Tarriela added, “The barrier blocking fishermen from the shoal was depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities.”
Tarriela shared images of the purported floating barrier and asserted that three Chinese coast guard vessels, along with a Chinese maritime militia service boat, had erected the barrier after a Philippine government vessel had arrived in the vicinity.
Earlier this week, the Philippine coast guard released footage showcasing extensive areas of damaged and bleached coral, leading authorities to accuse China of causing significant environmental harm in the region.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not promptly respond to requests for comments.
China asserts sovereignty over approximately 90% of the South China Sea, which encroaches on the exclusive economic zones of several countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In 2012, Beijing took control of the Scarborough Shoal, displacing Filipino fishermen who had to venture farther for smaller catches. Filipino fishermen were later permitted to return to the uninhabited shoal during an improvement in bilateral relations under then-President Rodrigo Duterte.
However, tensions have escalated once more since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office as Duterte’s successor last year.
During a routine patrol near the shoal known as Bajo de Masinloc, personnel from the Philippine coast guard and fisheries bureau discovered a floating barrier, estimated to be around 300 meters (1,000 feet) in length, as disclosed by Tarriela.
He further explained that the barrier was installed by three Chinese coast guard rigid-hull inflatable boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat in response to the arrival of the Philippine vessel. Filipino fishermen have reported that China typically deploys such barriers when monitoring a significant number of fishermen in the area.
According to Tarriela, the Chinese boats issued 15 radio challenges and accused the Philippine ship and fishermen of violating international and Chinese laws before retreating once they realized that media personnel were onboard the Filipino vessel.
Bajo de Masinloc, commonly known as the Scarborough Shoal, is a compact yet strategically important reef and productive fishing area situated 130 miles (200 kilometers) to the west of Luzon, a Philippine island. This shoal, referred to as Huangyandao by China, is among several contentious islands and reefs located within the South China Sea, a region marked by numerous territorial disputes.
(Source: Alex Stambaugh | Manveena Suri | Heather Chan | CNN | Enrico Dela Cruz | William Mallard | Reuters)
