MANILA (UPDATE 4) — The Philippines on Sunday blasted China for blocking and spraying water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

In a Facebook post, the PCG revealed that on Saturday, its boats were delivering food, water, fuel, and other supplies to military troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) when they were intercepted by a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel.

The CCG then reportedly sailed dangerously close to the PCG boat and blasted water cannons at the Filipino crew.

PCG West Philippine Sea spokesperson Jay Tarriela slammed the CCG's actions, calling them a "violation of international law."

Among the laws the CCG allegedly violated, the PCG said, include the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) favoring the Philippines.

"The PCG calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident," Tarriela said.

"We ask that China Coast Guard, as an organization with a responsibility to observe state obligations under UNCLOS, COLREGs, and other relevant instruments of international maritime safety and security, to cease all illegal activities within the maritime zones of the Philippines," he added.

For its part, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said a second supply boat was unable to unload supplies and could not complete its resupply mission following the CCG incursion.

AFP called the CCG's actions "excessive and offensive."

"We call on the China Coast Guard and the Central Military Commission to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger peoples' lives," the AFP said in a separate statement.

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

"Two repair ships and two coast guard ships from the Philippines illegally broke into the waters... in China's Nansha Islands," China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said, adding that Beijing had "implemented necessary controls in accordance with the law and stopped Philippine ships carrying illegal building materials."

REACTIONS

China's actions drew flak from foreign diplomats and Philippine lawmakers.

The United States said it was standing by the Philippines following the incident, saying China's actions were "directly threatening regional peace and stability."

The US also called China's spraying of water cannons at PCG vessels "unwarranted interference in lawful Philippine maritime operations."

"Firing water cannons and employing unsafe blocking maneuvers, [Chinese] ships interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and crew," the US Department of State said in a statement.

"As made clear by an international tribunal’s legally binding decision issued in July 2016, the PRC has no lawful claim to the maritime area around Second Thomas Shoal, which is located well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone," the US said.

"The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea—would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," it added.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu also said her country was "concerned" by the incident, saying China's actions were "dangerous and destabilising."

"We reiterate our call for peace, stability, and respect for UNCLOS in the South China Sea - a vital international waterway," Yu said in a tweet Sunday.

In another tweet, Japanese envoy to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa called the incident a "harassment" that was "totally unacceptable," and that it infringed lawful activities of the sea and endanger the navigational safety.

The Canadian Embassy in the Philippines said that they "unreservedly condemns the dangerous and provocative actions taken by the Chinese Coast Guard against Philippine vessels."

In a tweet, the Canadian Embassy said the unsafe maneuvers and use of water cannons is "unacceptable, and inconsistent with the obligations of the People’s Republic of China under international law."

"Continuing acts of intimidation and coercion by the PRC against its neighbours undermine safety, security and stability across the region, and raise the risks of grave miscalculation," it said, while calling on China to "comply with its obligations under international law."

Senator Risa Hontiveros also called on the Philippine government to begin joint patrols with other claimant countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

"The Chinese Coast Guard has absolutely no right to block, let alone water cannon, our supply vessels. Wala silang karapatang gutumin ang mga Pilipino sa Ayungin Shoal," she said.

(They have no right to let our Filipinos at the Ayungin Shoal starve.)

"China’s repeated provocations are in complete violation of UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. I call on our regional neighbors and the broader international community to join the Philippines in condemning this dangerous behavior," Hontiveros added.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard is "yet again a manifestation of its 'might vs. right' treatment of its peaceful neighbors."

Zubiri said China "shows shows diplomatic duplicity, of preaching about amity, but practicing hostile behavior."

"Gusto naming makipagkaibigan, pero bakit China ang hirap mong mahalin?" he added.

House deputy minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro also questioned the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on its priorities on protecting Philippine sovereignty following the incident.

Castro noted that Marcos did not mention the West Philippine Sea issue during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24.

She also blasted China for proposing joint military exercises with the Philippines, and then blasting the PCG with water cannons days after.

"Patuloy ang ganitong harassment at pag-atake sa mga Filipino lalo na ang ating mga mangingisda, tapos may gana pa ang China na mag-alok daw ng joint military exercises pero ganito naman ang kanilang ginagawa. Ano bang tingin nila sa atin uto-uto at susunod na lang [sa] gusto nila tulad ni Duterte?" Castro said.

(Even with their continued harassment and attacks on Filipinos and our fishermen, China has the gall to offer joint military exercises with the Philippines. Do they take us for fools and expect us to follow them blindly just like Duterte?)

"Dapat na talagang ilatag ng Pilipinas sa United Nations General Assembly ang tahasang paglabag ng China sa desisyon sa UNCLOS at arbitral award, para mapressure na ang Tsina na tigilan ang kanyang ginagawa," she added.

(The Philippines should really report China's violations of the UNCLOS and our arbitral award before the United Nations General Assembly to pressure them to stop what they're doing.)

• China eyeing military drills with Philippines despite tensions, AFP chief says

The incident came almost a month since the Philippines marked the 7th anniversary of the 2016 PCA ruling, which favored the country's claims of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone and effectively invalidated China's nine-dash line claim over the highly disputed waters.

While the ruling has been supported by countries like Japan, the US, Australia, and France, China has repeatedly disregarded the decision.

• US, Japan support Philippines' arbitral victory over China sea claims
• Philippines marks 7th anniversary of arbitral victory over China

The PCG earlier said that it would continue publicizing incidents of Chinese incursions into the West Philippine Sea, saying it was an effective deterrent of Chinese aggression in the territory.

• 'Expose the swarm': Philippines to continue to expose Chinese incursions

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