MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr stated on Thursday (Jun 27) {that a} Jun 17 incident at a disputed shoal within the South China Sea was not an “armed assault” by China in opposition to Manila’s sailors and vessels, however the nation must “do extra” than protest.
“We’ve got filed over 100 protests, we have now already made an analogous variety of demarche,” Marcos advised reporters. “We’ve got to do extra than simply that.”
Whereas not considered an armed attack, the Chinese language coastguard carried out an “unlawful motion” in stopping a daily resupply of troops, Marcos stated.
A Philippine sailor suffered “critical damage” after what its navy described as “intentional-high pace ramming” by the Chinese language Coast Guard, aiming to disrupt a resupply mission for troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal on Jun 17.
China’s overseas ministry has disputed the Philippines’ account, with a spokesperson saying final Thursday that the mandatory measures taken by the coast guard had been lawful {and professional}.
China claims nearly the complete South China Sea, together with elements claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.