Philippines Condemns China’s “Aggressive” Actions in South China Sea

The Philippine government on Monday strongly condemned China’s “repeated aggressive, unprofessional, and illegal” actions in the South China Sea, following a series of recent confrontations.
The Philippines’ national maritime council accused a Chinese jet fighter of performing “unsafe maneuvers” to counter a Philippine civilian aircraft conducting patrols over the disputed waters.
Additionally, Chinese vessels were reported to have “blocked, rammed, and fired water cannons” at a Philippine government fishing vessel, hindering its mission to deliver essential supplies to Filipino fishermen in Sabina shoal.
The escalating tensions between the two countries over the South China Sea have raised concerns about the potential for a conflict, especially given the involvement of the United States as a military ally of the Philippines.
China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, overlapping with claims made by the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Brunei.
In 2016, the Philippines filed a case against China before the international arbitral tribunal, which ruled in favor of the Philippines and declared China’s claim to have no legal basis. However, China has rejected this ruling and continued to assert its control over the disputed territory through the deployment of military vessels.
Despite a recent high-level meeting between the two countries aimed at de-escalating tensions, the latest incidents have undermined efforts to rebuild trust and manage the dispute peacefully.