This photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, shows damage on the Philippines coast guard vessel BRP Cape Engano (MRRV-4411) after a collision with a Chinese coast guard ship Monday, Aug. 19, 2024 in the disputed South China Sea.
Chinese and Philippine vessels (click here) collided on Monday during a confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, the two countries said.
Both countries blamed each other for the incident near the Sabina Shoal.
China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the vital waterway in recent months, including around a warship grounded years ago by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal that hosts a garrison. Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis....
Chinese and Philippine vessels (click here) collided on Monday during a confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, the two countries said.
Both countries blamed each other for the incident near the Sabina Shoal.
China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the vital waterway in recent months, including around a warship grounded years ago by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal that hosts a garrison. Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis....
These waters are no longer disputed, except, in the imagination of Xi. There are no reasons for these hostilities. Treaties can exist for mutual use.
The best use of Ren'ai Reef is possibly fishing. There is absolutely no way this can be a place where any country can occupy. It is a REEF! Besides, the entire idea of possessing a REEF in the South China Sea is stupid. Sea level rise will eliminate any and all uses of this REEF in years to come.
Globally reefs are protected anyway. They are extremely important carbon sinks.
Tom Phillips in Beijing, Oliver Holmes in Bangkok and Owen Bowcott
Ren'ai Reef (click here)
China (click here) has said it will not accept a ruling against it in a key international legal case over strategic reefs and atolls that Beijing claims would give it control over disputed waters of the South China Sea.
The judgment by an international tribunal in The Hague came down overwhelmingly in favour of claims by the Philippines and is likely to increase global diplomatic pressure on Beijing to scale back military expansion in the area. By depriving certain outcrops of territorial-generating status, the ruling from the permanent court of arbitration effectively punches holes in China’s all-encompassing “nine-dash” line that stretches deep into the South China Sea....
The judgment by an international tribunal in The Hague came down overwhelmingly in favour of claims by the Philippines and is likely to increase global diplomatic pressure on Beijing to scale back military expansion in the area. By depriving certain outcrops of territorial-generating status, the ruling from the permanent court of arbitration effectively punches holes in China’s all-encompassing “nine-dash” line that stretches deep into the South China Sea....
China needs to KNOCK IT OFF! This is precious habitat and the fish could be completely destroyed if the reef bleaches. This is ridiculous.
September 22, 2023
By Neil Jerome MoralesThe Philippines (click here) is exploring legal options against China accusing it of destruction of coral reefs within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, an allegation rejected by Beijing as an attempt to "create political drama".
The Philippines foreign ministry late on Thursday said it was awaiting assessments from various agencies of the extent of environmental damage in Iroquois Reef in the Spratly islands and would be guided by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra....
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