Philippines confronts China: Summons envoy over South China Sea Water-Cannon clash

• The Philippines summoned the Chinese envoy over an incident in the South China Sea.
• Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. criticized China’s ongoing interference.
• Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gil emphasized the need for the Philippines.

On Monday, the Philippines summoned the Chinese envoy over a recent incident in the South China Sea and challenged Beijing to bring its extensive sovereignty claims of the disputed waters to international arbitration.

Philippine officials reported that China’s coast guard employed water cannons on Saturday against one of its vessels at the Ayungin Shoal — known as the Second Thomas Shoal in Filipino. The incident, which resulted in damage to one of the boats and injuries to its crew, is the latest in a series of flare-ups that have occurred over the past year.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the charge d’affaires … of the Chinese Embassy this morning to convey the Philippines’ strong protest against the aggressive actions undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia,” Teresita Daza, the Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said in a statement.

“China’s continued interference with the Philippines’ routine and lawful activities in its exclusive economic zone is unacceptable. It infringes upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction. The Philippines demands that Chinese vessels leave the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and the Philippine exclusive economic zone immediately.”

China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which falls within the Philippines’ 320-km EEZ. Beijing routinely dismisses rival claims from other countries and has refused to acknowledge an international ruling that rejected the expansive Chinese claim.

The skirmish over the weekend occurred days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manila to reaffirm Washington’s “ironclad” support against Chinese influence in the resource-rich territory.

On Monday, Philippine security chiefs held a high-level meeting regarding the latest incident to draft recommendations for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on how to address the dispute.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. stated that China’s ongoing interference constituted a “big insult” to Filipinos.

“If they want, if they are not scared to broadcast to the entire world their claims, why don’t we enter arbitration under international law so that it can be made clear for everyone the rights of the two parties? Why don’t they do so?” Teodoro told reporters on Monday.

Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gil stated that China’s increasing activity in the disputed waters was a test for Manila and its allies to hold Beijing accountable for its actions.

“China is willing to see how far it can go in terms of escalating its belligerent and unlawful activities in the Philippine EEZ. Additionally, Beijing is eager to delegitimize the image of the US Alliance network in the face of its provocations in an ally’s internationally recognized EEZ,” Gil told the News.

“The Philippines is today on the front lines of China’s aggression and the need to become resilient is crucial.”

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