China and the Philippines are openly feuding after an incident in the South China Sea. The countries accuse each other of causing a collision in which the Chinese Coast Guard withdrew weapons. China claims that the Philippine boats were deliberately ramming and throwing objects. A ministry spokesman said: “It is clear that these actions increase tensions at sea.” Friso Doppelbauer, a political scientist at the Leiden Asia Center, believes that “things have been going from bad to worse for more than a year” among countries in the region.
China-Philippines fight: ‘Waiting to die’
Manila showed pictures showing Chinese carrying knives and an axe. The incident occurred when Philippine Marines attempted to resupply in a disputed reef on Monday. The Philippine Navy accuses the Chinese Coast Guard of violent behavior, which resulted in one person being injured and ships being damaged. A Filipino general reported that the unarmed Philippine Marines were outnumbered and were fighting with their bare hands, while the Chinese had seized weapons.
“What you see in the pictures isn’t pretty either.”
The conflict began more than a year ago due to a stuck, “rusty” naval ship anchored on a coral island. “This is a temporary observation post for the Philippine Army.” For a year, China has been trying to isolate this observation point so that the Philippines cannot resupply that ship that houses ten marines.
China has been thwarted in many ways. For example, lasers were first used to harass Philippine ships. This later escalated to the use of water cannons and ramming of Filipino ships. “Then there were casualties as well. “The matter escalated sharply last weekend,” Dobelbauer said. “This is partly due to the new Chinese Coast Guard law.” “The law gives the Chinese Coast Guard more powers, for example by boarding another country’s ships.” ”
Dobelbauer was surprised that China used this law immediately. “They boarded Philippine ships. What you see in the pictures is not pleasant either,” the political scientist asserts. “Axes and knives were used. This is a major provocation. The only positive thing that can be said is that no firearms were used by either party. However, We will have to wait for the first deaths, Doppelbauer fears, “if it continues like this.”
