Philippine officials assert that a mission visited Sandy Cay reef in the disputed South China Sea, unfurling the national flag.
The Philippines has refuted a Chinese Coast Guard report claiming that China “dealt with” a situation involving six Filipino personnel, accused by Beijing of unlawfully landing on a small reef in the disputed South China Sea.
Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun stated on Sunday that six personnel from the Philippines had “illegally boarded” the Tiexian Reef, also known as Sandy Cay, despite “warnings and dissuasion” from the Chinese side.
Liu claimed that Chinese Coast Guard personnel then “boarded the reef and investigated and dealt with it in accordance with the law,” without providing further details on the encounter or the identities of the six individuals from the Philippines.
“We urge the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement,” Liu stated, emphasizing that the actions “violated China’s territorial sovereignty.”
Manila officials rejected on Monday claims that China had taken over Sandy Cay or that a Philippine mission to Sandy Cay on Sunday was obstructed by Chinese maritime forces in the disputed area.
Sandy Cay, part of the Spratly Islands, is located near Thitu Island, also called Pag-asa, and is the site of a Philippine military facility.
“Philippine government officials have categorically denied that China has seized Sandy Cay or has now permanently taken over Sandy Cay in the South China Sea, describing the statement released through Chinese state media over the weekend as an ‘outright lie’, as part of Beijing’s disinformation tactics,” Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Lo reported from Manila in the Philippines.
Lo said Philippine officials confirmed the presence of Chinese vessels near the disputed reef during the mission on Sunday, but denied that the Philippine mission was “dealt with” as claimed by China.
Chinese state media asserted on Saturday that China’s coast guard had “implemented maritime control” over the Tiexian Reef in mid-April. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Chinese coast guard landed on Sandy Cay to “exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction” over the reef, conduct an “inspection,” and collect “video evidence” regarding the alleged illicit activities of the Philippine side.
The broadcaster published photographs of five individuals in black standing on the uninhabited reef, with a dark inflatable boat nearby. Another shot showed four coast guard officials standing with a national flag on the reef’s surface, which CCTV described as a “vow of sovereignty.”
There is no indication that China has permanently occupied the reef.
On Monday, the Philippine and US militaries commenced three weeks of annual joint exercises known as “Balikatan,” meaning “shoulder to shoulder,” which includes an integrated air and missile defense simulation for the first time.
Beijing has criticized the maneuvers as “undermining regional strategic stability” and accused Manila of “collusion with countries outside the region.”
Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, stated that the unfurling of a Chinese flag by the coast guard on Sandy Cay signifies a claim to the reef and is significant given the timing before the annual US-Philippine military exercises.
“It appears that with the staking of this Chinese flag on the reef, it is sending a message not only to Manila but also to Washington,” Yu said.
Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun stated on Sunday that six personnel from the Philippines had “illegally boarded” the Tiexian Reef, also known as Sandy Cay, despite “warnings and dissuasion” from the Chinese side.
Liu claimed that Chinese Coast Guard personnel then “boarded the reef and investigated and dealt with it in accordance with the law,” without providing further details on the encounter or the identities of the six individuals from the Philippines.
“We urge the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement,” Liu stated, emphasizing that the actions “violated China’s territorial sovereignty.”
Manila officials rejected on Monday claims that China had taken over Sandy Cay or that a Philippine mission to Sandy Cay on Sunday was obstructed by Chinese maritime forces in the disputed area.
Sandy Cay, part of the Spratly Islands, is located near Thitu Island, also called Pag-asa, and is the site of a Philippine military facility.
“Philippine government officials have categorically denied that China has seized Sandy Cay or has now permanently taken over Sandy Cay in the South China Sea, describing the statement released through Chinese state media over the weekend as an ‘outright lie’, as part of Beijing’s disinformation tactics,” Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Lo reported from Manila in the Philippines.
Lo said Philippine officials confirmed the presence of Chinese vessels near the disputed reef during the mission on Sunday, but denied that the Philippine mission was “dealt with” as claimed by China.
Chinese state media asserted on Saturday that China’s coast guard had “implemented maritime control” over the Tiexian Reef in mid-April. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Chinese coast guard landed on Sandy Cay to “exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction” over the reef, conduct an “inspection,” and collect “video evidence” regarding the alleged illicit activities of the Philippine side.
The broadcaster published photographs of five individuals in black standing on the uninhabited reef, with a dark inflatable boat nearby. Another shot showed four coast guard officials standing with a national flag on the reef’s surface, which CCTV described as a “vow of sovereignty.”
There is no indication that China has permanently occupied the reef.
On Monday, the Philippine and US militaries commenced three weeks of annual joint exercises known as “Balikatan,” meaning “shoulder to shoulder,” which includes an integrated air and missile defense simulation for the first time.
Beijing has criticized the maneuvers as “undermining regional strategic stability” and accused Manila of “collusion with countries outside the region.”
Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, stated that the unfurling of a Chinese flag by the coast guard on Sandy Cay signifies a claim to the reef and is significant given the timing before the annual US-Philippine military exercises.
“It appears that with the staking of this Chinese flag on the reef, it is sending a message not only to Manila but also to Washington,” Yu said.
