China is intensifying its offensive against the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement today (8th) that the Philippines is stranded on Second Thomas Reef (Chinese name Ren’aijiao, Philippine name Ayungyin) in the disputed South China Sea Spratly (Chinese name Nansha, Philippine name Calayaan) archipelago. They demanded that the warship be towed immediately.
China’s foreign ministry’s statement came amid strong protests from the Philippines after China’s coast guard fired water cannons at a Philippine coast guard ship that was trying to deliver supplies to the warship on the 5th.
The Philippine government condemned China’s response as “excessive and aggressive” and said it would never give up on the Ayung people (Chinese name Ren Ai Jiao).
The Philippine government also summoned the Chinese ambassador to the country to strongly protest the incident.
However, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeatedly demanded that the warship be towed immediately, and said that China had communicated with the Philippines several times about regional issues through diplomatic channels, but China’s goodwill and sincerity were ignored.
In the midst of this, China’s Coast Guard released a video today of its own Coast Guard vessel firing water cannons at a Philippine vessel, claiming that China exercised “reasonable self-control” with a warning.
The Philippines is using a warship that the United States used as a tank landing ship during World War II on Second Thomas Reef and is using it as an outpost.
VOA. news
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2023-08-08 11:07:12
