US, EU decry China Coast Guard ramming incident in WPS

The embassies of the United States and the European Union on Sunday expressed their concern over the "dangerous" maneuvers of the China Coast Guard against a Philippine vessel near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

“Unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive conduct by the PRC disrupted a legal [Philippine] mission, endangering lives — the latest in multiple dangerous actions by the PRC. We are steadfast in supporting our [Philippine friends, partners, allies],” US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said in her post on X (formerly Twitter).

Unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive conduct by the PRC disrupted a legal ???????? mission, endangering lives — the latest in multiple dangerous actions by the PRC. We are steadfast in supporting our ???????? #FriendsPartnersAllies. pic.twitter.com/DFHai66JLx

— Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) August 25, 2024

In a separate statement, European Union Ambassador Luc Véron expressed alarm over China’s action to prevent the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) from delivering supplies to Filipino fishermen in Escoda Shoal.

“The EU trusts that respect for international law including UNCLOS is essential in the South China Sea as anywhere else,” he said.

Today’s dangerous manoeuvres by Chinese government naval assets which aimed at preventing a legal humanitarian mission by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal is disturbing. The EU trusts that respect for international law including UNCLOS is… https://t.co/dqPg5DtCpH

— Ambassador Luc Véron ???????? (@EUAmbPH) August 25, 2024

China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels rammed and used a water cannon on BFAR ship BRP Datu Sanday earlier in the day.  

According to the Philippine National Security Council, the “aggressive and dangerous” maneuvers of eight Chinese vessels led to BRP Datu Sanday’s engine failure, forcing an early termination of the humanitarian operation.

Meanwhile, the CCG claimed that the Datu Sanday “illegally stormed” into China’s territory and continued to approach their vessels in a “dangerous manner" so they took control measures against it in accordance with their law and regulations. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News