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New Delhi: China was labelled an “aggressor” by the Philippines on Monday, accusing it of “increasing tensions” in the South China Sea and causing a collision that damaged one of Manila’s boats on a resupply trip, reported news agency Reuters.
No one was harmed when a Chinese coast guard ship and one of Manila’s smaller wooden resupply boats made contact on Sunday, but the incident has drawn international condemnation and expressions of concern from the United States, according to Reuters.
In a joint news conference, Philippine foreign ministry spokesperson Teresita Daza said, “All incidents like this will bolster the case that it’s not the Philippines that’s the aggressor, but the other party, which is China.”
The “dangerous, illegal, and reckless maneuvers” by Chinese ships caused damage to Philippine vessels “within our exclusive economic zone and is being taken seriously at the highest level of government,” according to a statement issued by Marcos’s office.
China’s coast guard said on Sunday there had been a “slight collision” between one of its ships and the Philippine boat while the coast guard was “lawfully” blocking the boat from transporting “illegal construction materials”, reported Reuters.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr held a security meeting on Monday to discuss “the latest violation by China” and ordered his country’s coast guard to investigate the incident, which his office said “is being taken seriously at the highest level of government”.
Tensions between China and the Philippines have grown under Marcos, who has complained about Beijing’s aggressive behaviour and sought closer ties with traditional ally, the United States.
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