China’s Coast Guard and Navy Blocks US Ally From Territory

Chinese maritime forces on Monday blocked a Philippine coast guard mission attempting to resupply a vessel during its deployment at the contested Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. This marks the third face-off in a week near the disputed area.

China deployed an “excessive” force of 40 ships, including three naval vessels, six coast guard ships, and 31 from its maritime militia, in a bid to obstruct the Philippine mission, Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Chinese flotilla prevented the Philippine coast guard cutters BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engano from delivering food and supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbuana, the Philippines’ largest coast guard ship, which has been stationed at the shoal since April. The deployment followed the discovery of crushed corals and reports of Chinese activity in the area.

China has accused the Philippines of attempting to establish a permanent presence at Sabina Shoal, similar to its deployment at Second Thomas Shoal, where a marine outpost has been maintained aboard a deliberately grounded warship since 1999.

Sabina Shoal is located about 75 miles from the Philippine province of Palawan, within the country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone. China, however, claims the shoal and much of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory and has maintained a continuous presence there since early July.

China’s coast guard stated on Monday that the Cabra and Cape Engano “intruded” into waters off the disputed Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands, leading to the confrontation.

Manila has vowed to continue its operations in the area despite China’s increased presence. “We continue to deploy our forces…in that area to show that we really own that area. Whatever incidents happen there, we continue to do our missions,” said Lieutenant Gen. Charlton Sean Gaerlan, deputy chief of staff for the Philippine armed forces, as quoted by ABS-CBN on Sunday.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and coast guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between the two nations. On Sunday, a Chinese coast guard cutter collided with a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel, which Manila said was distributing food and fuel to local fishermen. Collisions between Chinese coast guard ships last week inflicted minor damage to a pair of their Philippine counterparts, one of which was the Cape Engano.

“Beijing is tempting chance. A continued faceoff between rival forces, while unpalatable, is at least a stalemate that can hold for some time. PRC is deliberately escalating the situation, with a likely intention to test how far Washington would support Manila,” said Collin Koh, a maritime security expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, on X.

The standoff occurred just before U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s arrival in China on Tuesday for a three-day visit, which is seen as setting the stage for a potential summit between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders last met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco in November.

Biden has reaffirmed that Washington’s Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila, its oldest ally in Asia, remains “ironclad.”