Coast Guard China engaged in a recent confrontation with the Navy filipina in the waters South China Sea which is under discussion. The Chinese coast guard is said to have forcibly seized rocket debris that was found and towed from a Philippine navy vessel to one of its islands in the waters.
As reported Associated press, Monday (11/21/2022), rocket debris is thought to have come from a Chinese rocket launch. The debris was forcibly seized by the Chinese coast guard after it was found floating in the ocean before being recovered by a Philippine military vessel on Sunday (11/20) local time.
Philippine Navy Commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said in a statement on Monday (11/21), local time, that Chinese Coast Guard vessels stranded a Philippine Navy vessel twice before seizing the debris of a rocket being towed to the island of Thitu, which is controlled by Manila.
Carlos stated that there were no injuries in the crash.
It is the latest confrontation in a longstanding dispute over the strategic waterway in the South China Sea, involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Chinese coast guard vessels had previously blockaded Philippine vessels delivering supplies for the Armed Forces of the Philippines in disputed waters. But confiscating items owned by other countries’ militaries would be a bolder move.
In his statement, Carlos explained that Filipino sailors using remote cameras on Thitu Island detected debris drifting in heavy waves near a sand dune about 540 meters away.
They then set off by boat and picked up the drifting object, hauled it up with the ropes attached to their boat, and returned to Thitu Island. As the Filipino sailors were returning to Thitu Island, a Chinese coast guard vessel was seen approaching.
“They saw that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel with hull number 5203 was approaching their position and therefore blocked the planned shipping route twice,” Carlos said in a statement.
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