MANILA: The Philippines stated the China Coast Guard blocked a Filipino provide vessel and broken it with water cannon Saturday morning close to a reef off the Southeast Asian nation.The Philippine navy stated the practically hour-long assault occurred off Second Thomas Shoal within the contested South China Sea, the place Chinese language ships have unleashed water cannon and collided with Filipino vessels in related stand-offs in latest months.The navy launched video clips that confirmed a white ship repeatedly dousing one other vessel crusing alongside it with a water cannon. One clip confirmed two white ships concurrently firing water on the identical vessel.One other clip confirmed a white ship marked “China Coast Guard” crossing the bow of a gray vessel it recognized because the Philippine provide boat Unaizah Might 4, which was broken in a China Coast Guard water cannon assault in the identical space on March 5 that left 4 crew members injured.It stated the movies had been taken Saturday morning whereas the Unaizah Might 4 was on its approach to Ayungin Shoal — the Filipino title for the outcrop garrisoned by a small unit of Philippine troops that can be claimed by Beijing.”The UM4 supply boat sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 (am) due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels,” the navy stated in a press release, with out describing the character of the injury or whether or not there have been any casualties.Regardless of the assault, the broken vessel and a coast guard escort ship that got here to its support later delivered its cargo in addition to six navy personnel to the Filipino outpost, the navy stated in an replace.The navy additionally launched one other video clip which it stated was taken after the water cannon assault and confirmed a Chinese language vessel deploying “floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal”.The Philippine troopers stationed on the shoal reside on a derelict navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, and require frequent resupplies for meals, water and different requirements in addition to transport for personnel rotations.China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu stated in a press release that the Philippine convoy “forcibly intruded into the area despite the Chinese side’s repeated warnings and route controls”, including the Chinese language carried out “control, obstruction and eviction in accordance with law”.”We sternly warn the Philippine side: those who play with fire will bring shame on themselves. The Chinese Coast Guard is ready at all times to resolutely safeguard our country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Gan added.China claims virtually the complete South China Sea, disregarding rival claims from different international locations together with the Philippines and a global ruling that its assertion has no authorized foundation.- ‘Impeded and encircled’ -The most recent confrontation got here 4 days after visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated the USA stood by its “ironclad” commitments to defend longtime ally Manila in opposition to armed assault within the South China Sea.Two days after Blinken’s go to to Manila, the China Coast Guard additionally tried to drive away Filipino scientists who landed on two cays close to Scarborough Shoal, one other contested South China Sea outcrop.The Unaizah Might 4 was joined Saturday by an escort of two Filipino coast guard vessels and two Philippine Navy ships, a Philippine navy assertion stated.”This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated,” it added.Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesman for South China Sea points, stated in a separate assertion that its escort vessel, the BRP Cabra, was “impeded and encircled” by three Chinese language coast guard and different vessels early Saturday.In consequence, Cabra was “isolated from the resupply boat due to the irresponsible and provocative behaviour of the Chinese maritime forces”, he added.
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