China has deployed a range of Coast Guard Armed Forces near the second High Break of Thomas Shoal in the Southern China Sea – one in a series of Chinese actions that the Filipino Defense Head called “a case not only worrying but of condemnation”.
Philippin Secretary of Defense, Gilberto Teodoro, spoke on Friday during a joint press conference with Richard Marles, Defense Head for Australia, while the two countries gave themselves up to combat exercises that started on August 15 and worked towards an improved joint defense pact.
“We are working in close collaboration with the Philippines in terms of affirmation of the order based on rules at the Southern China Sea,” said Marles. “It’s really important for us to do it jointly.”
The Philippine army reported this week that China had deployed coastal and militia guard ships in the region, as well as a group of speedboats, some equipped with high caliber machine guns. A helicopter and a drone were also reported in the region.
According to the Philippin report, one of the Chinese boats came less than 50 meters from Sierra Madre, a warship that the Philippines deliberately anchored in 1999 to serve as a base of operations on the second Shoal of Thomas. Two Filipino boats were deployed to prevent the Chinese from getting closer, said the Philippine army.
On Friday, the Chinese coastal guard published on Friday a statement warning the Philippines “to immediately stop all counterfeit activities, provocations and false accusations” in the region, saying that it would continue to “carry out activities to apply the law”.
The Philippines and China have been fighting for a long time and have negotiated on a territory in the Southern China Sea. Second Shoal Thomas is in the exclusive non -defined economic zone of the Philippines. It is also in the large strip of the sea that China claims within the framework of its maritime territory.
In March, the Philippines accused China of “misleading messaging” after television managed by the State accused the Philippine army of burning garbage on board Sierra Madre. Last June, members of the Chinese Coast Guard used Pikes and Machetes to unravel the Filipino boats and entered firearms during a Philippine mission to restore the Sierra Madre. In December, China said it has granted the permission of these replenishment missions for humanitarian grounds.
Filipino fishermen told Benarnews de RFA last year that the strong presence of Chinese ships led them to send fewer boats, causing reduced and economic difficulties.
Includes the reports of the Associated Press.