Philippines says China removes barrier severed at contested shoal in South China Sea
MANILA, Sept 26 (Reuters) – The Philippines on Tuesday announced that China’s coastguard had removed remnants of a floating barrier that was cut by its Filipino counterparts at the fiercely contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines clarified that there was no standoff or signs of aggression during the incident.
On Monday, the Philippines executed a “special operation” to sever a 300-meter barrier installed by China at the Scarborough Shoal. This move is expected to further strain ties between the two nations, which have deteriorated over the past year.
According to Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippines coastguard, China’s coastguard responded calmly when a Philippine vessel reached its closest point to the rocky outcrop since China took control of it in 2012. Later, the Philippines coastguard, disguised as regular fishermen aboard a small boat, cut the ball-buoy barrier and removed the anchor.
Tarriela further stated that four China coastguard vessels were present in the area, but they were not aggressive, possibly due to the media presence on board a Philippine ship.
China took away the barriers a few hours after discovering that they were misaligned and blocking the lagoon, as confirmed by Tarriela.
The Scarborough Shoal, located about 200 km (124 miles) off the Philippines and within its exclusive economic zone, has been a subject of disputes over sovereignty for decades, attracting regular tensions between the Philippines and China.
While China did not directly mention the floating barrier, it claimed that its coastguard repelled a Philippine vessel that was “intruding” into its waters.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have escalated in the past year as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr authorized the cutting of the barrier. The Philippines seeks to establish tighter defense ties with the United States, including access to military bases.
It is worth noting that China claims ownership of almost the entire South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, despite an arbitration ruling in 2016 that deemed these claims to be baseless. China does not recognize this ruling.
Regarding the removal of the barrier, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo stated that it was consistent with the country’s stance on the South China Sea. He emphasized that the Philippines has the right to practice its sovereignty and sovereign rights in the region.
Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.