MANILA, October 16 ------ A Chinese Navy vessel conducted dangerous maneuvers against the Philippine Navy's BRP Benguet in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said. According to its Facebook post, the BRP Benguet warned off and issued consecutive radio challenges to China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy Ship 621 (PLAN 621) after it shadowed the BRP Benguet at an 80-yard distance. The vessel was en route to Rizal Reef Station for a regular rotation and resupply mission. The PN crew cited the violation of Collision Regulations (COLREG) in its radio challenges, and "demanded that the Chinese vessel to steer clear of the BRP Benguet." "The Philippine Naval ship received a counter-response from PLAN 621 using their so-called and patently baseless 'ten-dash line' narrative," the AFP added.
Western Command Chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos expressed his dismay, adding these "[dangerous] maneuvers pose significant risks to maritime safety, collision prevention, and danger to human lives at sea." "China must immediately halt these unsafe actions and conduct themselves in a professional manner by adhering to international law," he added.
AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., also urged China to stop these "dangerous maneuvers and aggressive actions" against Philippine vessels. "These dangerous and offensive maneuvers by China's PLAN not only risk collision but also directly endanger the lives of maritime personnel from both sides. The AFP remains committed to ensuring the safety of its personnel during RoRe missions and asserts that it will continue to adhere to the rules-based international order," Brawner added. China and the Philippines have been exchanging statements about each other's activities in the West Philippine Sea. In September, the Armed Forces of the Philippines suspected China of harvesting corals in Rozul Reef, before dumping the "processed" coral reefs in some parts of the West Philippine Sea. China denied its involvement, and even told the country to "stop creating a political drama from fiction."
A week after the incident, China put floating barriers in Scarborough Shoal, claiming that it did so after Philippine vessels intruded its waters. Last week, Philippine officials called out China's dangerous maneuvers in the Ayungin Shoal during the resupply mission to grounder BRP Sierra Madre. China has been asking the Philippines to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, claiming that the latter "promised" to tow it away.
The Philippines denied making such a promise to China. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually despite an international court ruling that Beijing's entitlement has no legal basis. Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei also have overlapping claims in parts of the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation in international waters.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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