Philippines summons China envoy as tensions escalate over disputed waters

Manila has summoned Beijing's envoy after the China Coast Guard blocked and water cannoned Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos said.

Manila's responded on Monday to the incident, which took place on Saturday as the Philippine Coast Guard escorted charter boats carrying food, water, fuel and other supplies for Filipino military personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

The Philippine military and coast guard have accused the China Coast Guard of breaking international law in blocking and firing water cannon at the re-supply mission, which prevented one of the charter boats from reaching the shoal.

Another charter boat was successful in unloading its cargo.

China said it had taken "necessary controls" against Philippines boats that had "illegally" entered its waters.

"Our Secretary of Foreign Affairs summoned Ambassador Huang today and gave him a note verbale including pictures, video about what happened and we are awaiting their reply," Marcos told reporters.

"The position of China, of course, is they say 'this is ours so we are defending it' and we, for our part, are saying 'no, we own it so we are defending it'. So that becomes a grey area that we are discussing."

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

Sovereignty claim unlawful

Saturday's incident was the first time since November 2021 that the Chinese coast guard had used water cannon against a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal.

"The Philippines condemns in the strongest terms the latest incident of harassment perpetrated by China Coast Guard, People's Liberation Army Navy and Chinese maritime militia vessels," said the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, which includes representatives of various government agencies.

"As a low tide elevation, Ayungin shoal can neither be the subject of a sovereignty claim nor is it capable of appropriation under international law," the task force said in a statement.

The Philippines insists the Second Thomas Shoal is part of its exclusive economic zone.

Unlike Marcos, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who was in power from 2016 to 2022, was reluctant to criticise his more powerful neighbour as he sought closer ties with Beijing in the hope of attracting investment.

Marcos has gravitated towards the United States, seeking to strengthen defence ties with the Philippines' former colonial ruler and longtime ally.