On Monday, the Philippine coastguard accused a Chinese coastguard vessel of shining a “military-grade laser light” at one of its boats in the South China Sea. The incident occurred when the Philippine ship supported a mission to resupply and rotate troops stationed on Second Thomas Shoal. 

According to reports, the incident occurred on Feb. 6 when a Chinese Coastguard vessel allegedly shined a laser light at a Philippine fishing boat near Scarborough Shoal. The Filipino fishermen reported feeling “intimidated” by the laser light and quickly left the area, fearing for their safety. Reports also indicate that no warning shots were fired, and no physical contact was made during the encounter.

The Chinese ship also made dangerous maneuvers by coming within about 140m of the Philippine boat and allegedly shining military-grade laser light toward the ship, temporarily blinding crew members.

“The deliberate blocking of the Philippine government ships to deliver food and supplies to our military personnel … is a blatant disregard for, and a clear violation of, Philippine sovereign rights in this part of the West Philippine Sea,” the Philippine coastguard said.

It is becoming increasingly clear that China’s actions in the South China Sea are a form of deliberate aggression against the Philippines. 

Fisherman
Sino-Philippines Politics Affecting Fishermen (Source: SOFREP)

SOFREP has previously reported on China’s actions in the region, and we believe that they are deliberately increasing its control over the South China Sea, including areas claimed by both Vietnam and the Philippines. 

“We are making clear: Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. 

The White House also previously supported the Philippines against China’s rejection of the 2016 tribunal case about the ownership of Spratlys Island. 

“The PRC has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region,” it said, referring to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“Beijing uses intimidation to undermine the sovereign rights of Southeast Asian coastal states in the South China Sea, bully them out of offshore resources, assert unilateral dominion, and replace international law with ‘might makes right,’ ” the statement said.

However, Chia directly refuted this, saying the US has no say whatsoever in the existing dispute. 

“The United States is not a country directly involved in the disputes. However, it has kept interfering in the issue. Under the pretext of preserving stability, it is flexing muscles, stirring up tension, and inciting confrontation in the region,” it said.

“We advise the US side to earnestly honor its commitment of not taking sides on the issue of territorial sovereignty, respect regional countries’ efforts for a peaceful and stable South China Sea and stop its attempts to disrupt and sabotage regional peace and stability.”

According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), military tensions in the region have been steadily increasing as China has sought to increase its naval presence in disputed areas of the sea by increasing its military budget to almost $2 trillion in 2020. 

Analysts postulate that Former President Duterte’s strong condemnation of Chinese aggression may indicate that he intends to take a more hardline stance on Sino-Philippine relations than his predecessors. This could lead to increased tensions between both countries, with some analysts warning that further friction may result in open conflict if matters are unchecked.

Filipino Fisherman
Filipino Fisherman Worried About Chinese Aggression (Source: SOFREP)

In addition, any conflict between the two nations in the South China Sea could potentially draw other regional powers into a wider regional conflict. 

Meanwhile, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) states that no country has absolute sovereignty over any particular ocean or sea area. Instead, there is an established system of allowable uses for all countries, including those bordering areas such as the South China Sea. By shining lasers onto Filipino fishing boats and restricting navigation access, China is violating UNCLOS principles and asserting unilateral dominance over these waters, which arguably do not belong to them alone. 

Furthermore, experts point out that such actions from Beijing could draw strong responses from other Southeast Asian nations who also claim parts of the South China Sea, such as Vietnam or Malaysia. In fact, some analysts suggest that Beijing may attempt to provoke a regional conflict to assert its power throughout Southeast Asia. “Beijing wants to be a global leader, and you can’t be a global leader if everybody thinks that you’re violating international law and bullying your neighbors,” said Gregory Poling, a South China Sea expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Recent tensions between Chinese and Philippine vessels are part of an ongoing pattern of Chinese aggression against neighboring states to gain control over disputed waters in the South China Sea. As these disputes continue to rise and threaten peace among neighboring nations, it will be necessary for global powers to take notice and ensure that international law is respected by all parties involved.

This incident has far-reaching implications for relations between China and the Philippines. As tensions in the South China Sea continue to escalate, such incidents can only further damage diplomatic relations between both countries. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has condemned China for its aggressive behavior in the region, stating that he will not allow any other country “to bully us” or “invade our territory .”It remains to be seen how much of an impact this incident will have on Sino-Philippine relations moving forward, but it has done nothing to ease tensions in an already volatile situation.

“Any PRC action to harass other states’ fishing or hydrocarbon development in these waters — or to carry out such activities unilaterally — is unlawful. The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire,” Pompeo concludes.