PH won't be deterred by China threats in WPS - task force

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) slammed the China Coast Guard on Saturday for damaging a Filipino supply vessel near the Ayungin Shoal with water cannon and injuring those on board.

Unaizah May 4 (UM4), which was carrying supplies for Filipino troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre, "sustained heavy damage,'' according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, due to the ''continued blasting of water cannons" from two CCG vessels on Saturday morning.

Still, the rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission was successful. 

''The People's Republic of China's latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RoRe mission to Ayungin Shoal, have once again placed at risk, caused severe damage to property, and caused physical harm to Filipinos on board UM4,'' the NTF-WPS said in a statement.

"The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law," it added. 

'Playing with fire'

However, CCG spokesperson Gan Yu claimed that the Philippines conducted an "irregular resupply mission.''

He said the Philippines sent two PCG ships and one resupply ship ''to intrude into the adjacent waters'' of Ayungin Shoal, which China calls Ren’ai Jiao, ''only 18 days after its resupply mission, ''attempting to transport construction materials'' to BRP Sierra Madre. 

"It is a deliberate and provocative move that infringes upon China's sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests and undermines peace and stability in the South China Sea. Despite repeated warnings and routing control by the Chinese side, the Filipino resupply ship tried to intrude into the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao forcefully," Gan said. 

Gan said that the CCG implemented ''lawful regulation, interception, and expulsion in a reasonable and professional manner.''

"We warn the Philippines that playing with fire is an invitation [to] disgrace, and the China Coast Guard is ready at all times to defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," he added. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also urged the Philippines to ''immediately stop its infringement and provocation and refrain from undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.''

''If the Philippines insists on going its own way, China will continue to adopt resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The Philippines should be prepared to bear all potential consequences,'' it said. 

The Philippines will continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award, the NTF-WPS said. 

“The Philippines will not be deterred—by veiled threats or hostility—from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal, which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf,” it added. 

''We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community.''

Meanwhile, Japan's Ambassador Endo Kazuya said his country ''stands in solidarity with the Philippines.''

''Japan reiterates its grave concern [over] the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS, which resulted in Filipino injuries,'' Endo said.

American Ambassador MaryKay Carlson expressed the United States' support for the Philippines following the incident. 

''The PRC’s interference with [the Philippines'] freedom of navigation violates international law and threatens a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,'' she said on X. 

New Zealand's embassy in Manila said it was ''deeply concerned at further actions today by Chinese vessels towards the Philippines at Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal.''

''These endanger lives at sea. It is fundamental to regional stability that maritime disputes are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS,'' it said.

The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have been embroiled in years-long territorial disputes over resource-rich features in the South China Sea, feared as Asia’s next potential flashpoint for a major armed conflict.

China claims the waters nearly in their entirety, despite an international tribunal ruling on a case filed by the Philippines that invalidated such an assertion. — VBL, GMA Integrated News