Philippines accuses Chinese boats of ‘dangerous’ actions

As two Philippine vessels meet on the high seas to transfer a sick Filipino soldier, China Coast Guard boats shadow, block and bump them, according to video released by the Philippine Coast Guard yesterday.
The incident happened last month during the medical evacuation of a soldier who was stationed on a grounded Philippine Navy vessel, the BRP Sierra Madre, on Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard said they had deployed a boat on May 19 to retrieve the soldier from a Philippine Navy speedboat, and had informed the China Coast Guard of the “humanitarian nature” of their mission.
In a series of videos released by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese-flagged inflatable speedboat is seen bumping into the two stationary Philippine vessels as they prepare to transfer the patient.
Other boats - identified by the Philippines as belonging to the China Coast Guard - are also seen shadowing and blocking the path of the Philippine Coast Guard boat.
The Chinese boats “engaged in dangerous manoeuvres” and “intentionally rammed” the Philippine Navy vessel, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
“The barbaric and inhumane behaviour displayed by the China Coast Guard has no place in our society,” Tarriela said.
“What should have been a simple medical evacuation operation was subjected to harassment,” he said. “Their actions clearly demonstrated their intention to prevent the sick personnel from receiving the proper medical attention he urgently needed.” China’s foreign ministry said in response to the accusation it could “allow” the Philippines to deliver “necessary supplies” and evacuate personnel from the Sierra Madre if Beijing were notified in advance.
“However, the Philippines should not use this as an excuse to ship construction materials to the deliberately grounded warship in an attempt to permanently occupy the Ren’ai Reef,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said, using China’s name for Second Thomas Shoal.
Beijing claims almost the entire waterway and there has been a series of confrontations involving Chinese and Philippine vessels near contested reefs, often around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.
Second Thomas Shoal is about 200km from the western Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
The Filipino soldier was eventually loaded onto the Philippine Coast Guard boat and taken to Palawan, where he received hospital treatment. The Philippines did not provide details of the soldier’s medical condition.
Other videos released by the Philippines yesterday showed China Coast Guard vessels shadowing three Philippine Coast Guard speedboats carrying marine scientists from the University of the Philippines this week.
The scientists were examining crushed coral found at two sandbars in Sabina Shoal, also in the Spratlys.