MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday urged China to exercise restraint and avoid further escalating tensions after a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a Philippine fisheries vessel about 100 kilometers off Palawan.
The DFA condemned the actions of the CCG vessel with hull number 21585, which struck the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) BRP Datu Magat Salamat earlier Friday.
“There is no justification for the CCG vessel to undertake aggressive actions against a Philippine civilian law enforcement vessel, and cause damage to the ship and endanger the safety of the civilian crew,” the DFA said in a statement.
The department stressed that the BFAR vessel was conducting “routine and lawful humanitarian activities” to support Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.
It described the Chinese vessel’s actions as “illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous,” saying they were inconsistent with China’s obligations under international law.
The DFA also cited the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
“The Philippines calls on China to respect Philippine sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone in accordance with UNCLOS as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award, exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further escalate tensions in the region,” the DFA said.
The statement came hours after Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said CCG-21585 had “intentionally” rammed BRP Datu Magat Salamat about 100 km from the coast of Palawan.
READ: PCG: China Coast Guard ship rams BFAR vessel off Palawan
“Based on our record, this is the closest ever that China Coast Guard did this intentional ramming and disregarded the safety of our personnel,” Tarriela said in a Zoom interview with reporters Friday afternoon.
No Coast Guard or BFAR personnel were injured.
The PCG said the impact damaged the vessel’s railings, deck, stanchions and other structures.
The vessel was heading back to Coron, Palawan, where its seaworthiness would be assessed, according to Tarriela.
China disputed the Philippine account and blamed the BFAR vessel for the collision.
CCG spokesperson Jiang Lue said the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings before deliberately changing course and accelerating across the bow of the Chinese ship.
Jiang said the Chinese vessel was conducting what Beijing described as “rights-protection and law-enforcement operations” near Xianbin Jiao, China’s name for Escoda (Sabina) Shoal.
He maintained that the Chinese vessel had acted lawfully and said responsibility for the collision rested entirely with the Philippine side.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea likewise condemned the Chinese vessel’s actions and called on China to stop what it described as “dangerous and unlawful actions that endanger lives at sea.”
READ: Tarriela says Chinese coast guard ‘intentionally’ rams BFAR vessel
Friday’s incident came a day after BRP Datu Magat Salamat ran aground at Hasa-Hasa Shoal while approaching Filipino fishing boats to distribute fuel.
The PCG later pulled the vessel free, allowing it to resume its mission before Friday’s collision.
Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.It has rejected the 2016 arbitral award, which invalidated the legal basis of its sweeping “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea, later expanded to a “10-dash line.”
China has rejected the ruling and maintains that it is “null and void.” /das
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