The Philippine vessels approached Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as Ren’ai Jiao, in the Spratly archipelago.
As one boat, the BRP Malapascua, which was carrying Filipino journalists, neared the shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel more than twice its size sailed into its path.
AFP journalists watched the incident from the other Philippine Coast Guard boat, which was less than a kilometre away.
The Malapascua’s commanding officer said the Chinese ship came within 45m of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Friday that the Philippine boats had “intruded” without China’s permission and called it a “premeditated and provocative action”.
MANILA PUSHES BACK
But Manila hit back, saying that “routine patrols in our own waters can be neither premeditated or provocative” and insisting they will continue to conduct the patrols.
The near-miss came just a day after Marcos hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for talks in Manila aimed at defusing tensions in the waterway.
Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on the Philippines’ rights in the sea, and has gravitated towards the United States as he seeks to strengthen defence ties.
Early this month, the Philippines identified four additional military bases – in addition to five existing sites – to which US forces will have access, including one near the Spratly Islands.
The two countries also carried out their biggest ever military manoeuvres in recent weeks.
This shift has alarmed China, which has accused Washington of trying to drive a wedge between Beijing and Manila.
“IRONCLAD COMMITMENT”
US-Philippine ties were badly frayed under Marcos’s predecessor, the authoritarian Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos has sought to allay public fears that the reviving alliance with the United States could bring the Philippines into the conflict if China were to invade Taiwan.
He has said that with Biden he will discuss the “need to tone down the rhetoric” over the South China Sea, Taiwan and North Korea.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said this month that Biden intended, in the meeting with Marcos, to “reaffirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defence of the Philippines”.
Source: CNA
