By Hu Yuwei and Fan Wei
On-site images show that Philippine Coast Guard vessel 9701 makes dangerous maneuvers against China Coast Guard vessels. Photo: Global Times
On Tuesday morning, Philippine Coast Guard vessel 9701, operating in the waters near China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, deliberately provoked China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels 21550 and 5009, which were conducting rights protection and law enforcement operations in the area.
The vessel repeatedly conducted high-speed transits through the stern areas of China Coast Guard law enforcement vessels while dangerously approaching them, with the closest distance being only some 100 meters. This act seriously threatened the navigation safety of the CCG vessels.
Analysts told the Global Times that unlike the previous "hit-and-run" style provocations aimed at portraying an image of "victim," the Philippine's provocative behavior this time was more "arrogant and unreasonable." In connection with a series of recent provocations by the Philippines in the South China Sea, the Philippines has shown a new trend of ignoring international rules, which will undoubtedly force China to further step up rights protection and law enforcement efforts in the South China Sea.
Images sent back by the Global Times reporter dispatched to Huangyan Dao show that at around 10:30 am on Tuesday, while "escorting" two official vessels of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to operate in the waters near China's Huangyan Dao, Philippine Coast Guard vessel 9701 provoked CCG vessels 21550 and 5009, which were carrying out rights protection and law enforcement operations in the area.
The images show that the vessel repeatedly made large-angle course changes at close range and conducted high-speed transits through the sterns of China Coast Guard vessels 21550 and 5009, with the closest distance to the two ships being about 100 meters.
Track charts obtained by the Global Times from the scene also show that within about half an hour, Philippine Coast Guard Ship 9701 was in a state of high maneuverability and irregular navigation, with a haphazard route, seriously disrupting the navigation path of CCG vessels 21550 and 5009, which were sailing normally.
"The Philippines' actions are extremely egregious in nature and seriously endangered the safety of CCG vessels," Yang Xiao, an expert on maritime issues at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
He noted that Philippine vessel 9701 has a displacement of 2,300 tons, while CCG vessels 21550 and 5009 are hundred-ton-class. During the enforcement operation by the two Chinese vessels, the Philippine vessel repeatedly made sharp turns at high speed, at one point closing to within just 100 meters of the Chinese boats. "This constitutes an extremely dangerous and malicious act of provocation. Any collision would have led to catastrophic consequences," the expert stressed.
He further stated that despite the large tonnage of its vessel, the Philippine side made multiple close-range course changes and sailed at high speed. This provocative act by the Philippines is unprecedentedly aggressive, differing from its previous behaviors.
Considering recent actions made by the Philippines, it is clear that Manila has not only disregarded China's restraint, but also completely ignored relevant international rules, attempting to continuously escalate tensions in the South China Sea. This series of provocations warrants high vigilance.
"While the Philippines has been trying to paint China as a 'bully' in the South China Sea on the international stage, the reality is that China has exercised maximum restraint in its rights protection and law enforcement operations, striving to avoid further escalation," said Yang.
He emphasized that the reckless maneuvers of Philippine vessel 9701 had seriously endangered the safety of CCG vessel 21550. "The Philippine side really needs to think carefully: if it causes the situation to deteriorate further, will it end up shooting itself in the foot?"
