Chinese vessels reportedly block Filipino ships in South China Sea
Fresh standoff occurs amid heightened tensions between 2 countries
File Photo
KARACHI, Pakistan
Two Philippine Coast Guard ships were reportedly surrounded by Chinese vessels on Monday in a tense standoff in the South China Sea, further raising tensions between the two countries.
Two Philippine Coast Guard ships, which were deployed 25 to 30 nautical miles east of Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea as part of a routine maritime patrol, were blocked by Chinese vessels, the local English daily Manila Times reported.
West Philippine Sea is the official designation by Manila for the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone.
The fresh standoff was reported by SeaLight, a transparency initiative dedicated to monitoring maritime activities in the South China Sea.
The Chinese and Philippine authorities have yet to issue any statement regarding the development.
Competing claims of territorial sovereignty over islands and smaller features in the South China Sea have been a longstanding source of tension and distrust in the region.
The sea—a crucial passage for a significant portion of the world’s commercial shipping—is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Spreading over the 3.5 million square kilometers, nearly one-third of the world's shipping, estimated at $11.3 billion worth of trade annually, passes through this waterway, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
China claims nearly all of the 3.5-million-square-kilometer South China Sea.
