ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Australia expressed its concern about the increasing tension in the South China Sea (SCS) which is disrupting stability in the region. This concern was expressed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, March 6 2024, a day after the clash between Chinese and Philippine ships in these waters.
Previously, a Chinese ship hit a Philippine coast guard ship which was carrying out a routine mission for troops at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Tuesday, March 5 2024.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela said that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel suffered minor structural damage as a result of the collision.
Tarriella also accused the Chinese ship of carrying out dangerous maneuvers that caused the collision.
“At approximately 06:32, the CCG vessel 21555 performed a dangerous blocking maneuver against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel MRRV 4407, which caused a minor collision resulting in superficial structural damage to the PCG hull,” Tarriela said via social media post X (@jaytaryela) .
On the final day of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Albanese said such behavior was dangerous and risked a miscalculation that could lead to further escalation.
“I am very concerned and Australia is concerned about unsafe and destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea,” Albanese said as quoted by Reuters, Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, and has deployed ships to patrol it. The Philippines described the patrol as a “Chinese maritime militia”, which was also present when the supply mission was underway.
Tuesday’s incident is the latest development in a series of maritime incidents between the Philippines and China who are in territorial disputes in the South China Sea despite a 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that declared China’s claims to have no legal basis. (ATN)
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