Philippines Summons Chinese Envoy Over Water Cannon Incident

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Facts

• Philippine Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated Monday that China's envoy has been summoned after Chinese coastguards used water cannons to block Philippine vessels carrying supplies for its military personnel in the South China Sea.¹
• Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo personally visited Ambassador Huang Xilian to give him a note verbale, with Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jaime FlorCruz also issuing a protest note in Beijing.²
• This comes as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) claimed that its Chinese counterpart carried out 'excessive and unlawful' actions over the weekend as boats attempted to reach Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.³
• While this incident was the first time since November 2021 that the Chinese coastguard had used water cannons against a Philippine resupply operation to the shoal, China routinely blocks or shadows Philippine ships in the contested waters.⁴
• China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including the region around the submerged reef that contains a World War Two-era US ship intentionally grounded in 1999 which now stations Philippine troops.⁵
• Despite an international tribunal ruling against China's claims to the area in 2016, Beijing stated that it took 'necessary control measures' after two ships and two coast guard vessels 'illegally trespassed' into its waters.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Rappler, ³BBC News, ⁴Guardian, ⁵Reuters and ⁶Ft.

Narratives

• Anti-China narrative, as provided by Philstar.com. The actions of the Chinese coastguard, being under the control of China's Central Military Commission, are another example of hostile military action by Beijing against the Philippines. In order to counter this threat and continued violation of international law, the Philippines must draw on external support and respond both sternly and effectively.
• Pro-China narrative, as provided by Chinadaily. Despite having long promised to remove the warship illegally stranded in China's Ren'ai Reef, the Philippines keep infringing on Chinese sovereignty and international law by sending ships into the reef without authorization to repair the warship for permanent occupation of the reef. Water cannons were used to avoid collision after warnings fell on deaf ears. China has every right to defend its territory.

Predictions