> The Philippines has withdrawn a coastguard ship keeping watch over a disputed reef after a months-long stand-off with China. The Teresa Magbanua, Manila’s largest coastguard vessel, returned to port on Sunday from Sabina Shoal after blocking and ramming by the Chinese coastguard left the crew dehydrated and malnourished and the ship damaged, Philippine officials said. Manila said it would replace the ship at Sabina.
> Sabina Shoal had become the latest flashpoint between the two after the Philippines deployed the Teresa Magbanua to the reef in April to guard against potential Chinese attempts to seize it. In July, China sent a much larger coastguard ship, which has since blocked Manila’s efforts to resupply the crew and repeatedly rammed the Philippine ship.
> Observers said Manila’s move raised concern of a repeat of Beijing’s seizure of Scarborough Shoal, a larger disputed reef to the north, in 2012.
> At that time, Chinese ships used the withdrawal of Philippine vessels due to rough seas to occupy the lagoon inside the ring-shaped reef and deny Philippine fishers access.
> Regional security officials and maritime experts still frequently cite the incident as a failure by the US to help its treaty ally and other South China Sea claimants counter China’s creeping expansionism.
1 Comment
> The Philippines has withdrawn a coastguard ship keeping watch over a disputed reef after a months-long stand-off with China. The Teresa Magbanua, Manila’s largest coastguard vessel, returned to port on Sunday from Sabina Shoal after blocking and ramming by the Chinese coastguard left the crew dehydrated and malnourished and the ship damaged, Philippine officials said. Manila said it would replace the ship at Sabina.
> Sabina Shoal had become the latest flashpoint between the two after the Philippines deployed the Teresa Magbanua to the reef in April to guard against potential Chinese attempts to seize it. In July, China sent a much larger coastguard ship, which has since blocked Manila’s efforts to resupply the crew and repeatedly rammed the Philippine ship.
> Observers said Manila’s move raised concern of a repeat of Beijing’s seizure of Scarborough Shoal, a larger disputed reef to the north, in 2012.
> At that time, Chinese ships used the withdrawal of Philippine vessels due to rough seas to occupy the lagoon inside the ring-shaped reef and deny Philippine fishers access.
> Regional security officials and maritime experts still frequently cite the incident as a failure by the US to help its treaty ally and other South China Sea claimants counter China’s creeping expansionism.
!ping SEA&FOREIGN-POLICY