China's Foreign Ministry announced on 21/7 that it had summoned Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jaime FlorCruz to "lodge a stern representation regarding the provocative and deliberate attack" by the Philippine side at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
Hours after China's Foreign Ministry announcement, Claire Castro, spokesperson for the Office of the Philippine President, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had summoned Chinese Ambassador to Manila Tinh Tuyen.
She declined to disclose the meeting's content, only describing the discussion as related to "national security" issues.
Earlier, the China Coast Guard accused Philippine forces of using two inflatable boats on 20/7 to approach and attempt a "dangerous collision" with its patrol boat, then using paddles and sticks to attack the patrol team.
However, the Philippine military stated that China Coast Guard ship 21560 deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat carrying 8 people to approach the BRP Sierra Madre warship at Second Thomas Shoal, circling to take photos and videos of the outpost.
Philippine forces stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre dispatched two inflatable boats to drive them away, but the China Coast Guard responded aggressively and used wooden sticks to hit a Philippine serviceman on the head, injuring one person.
Both sides filmed the clash, while accusing the other of editing footage to misrepresent what actually happened. China's Foreign Ministry accused the Philippines of being the initial provocateur, "distorting facts and deliberately exaggerating the incident".
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China Coast Guard personnel clash with Philippine servicemen at Second Thomas Shoal on 20/7. Photo: CCG |
China Coast Guard personnel clash with Philippine servicemen at Second Thomas Shoal on 20/7. Photo: CCG
In a separate statement on 21/7, the China Coast Guard said it had "allowed" the Philippines to transfer the injured serviceman from the BRP Sierra Madre warship for treatment.
The Philippine military refuted China's statements regarding the Second Thomas Shoal encounter, calling China's information "false and misleading" and asserting that Philippine forces did not initiate the confrontation.
Second Thomas Shoal is a low-tide elevation in the South China Sea, currently controlled by the Philippines. China also claims sovereignty over this feature.
The Philippine military has used the dilapidated warship BRP Sierra Madre, deliberately grounded at Second Thomas Shoal, as an outpost to maintain its presence in the area since 1999. A marine unit is stationed on the ship, relying entirely on supplies from the mainland.
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Location of Second Thomas Shoal. Graphic: Google Maps |
Location of Second Thomas Shoal. Graphic: Google Maps
Vietnam has repeatedly called on China and the Philippines to exercise maximum restraint in their activities in the South China Sea, to act in accordance with international law, and to respect the sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of coastal states, as established in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Vietnam also urged all parties to strictly and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), resolve disputes and differences by peaceful means, and actively contribute to maintaining peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.
Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Global Times, ABS-CBN)
