Philippines summons China envoy over standoff, dares Beijing to seek arbitration

MANILA — The Philippines summoned China's envoy on Monday (March 25) to protest against "aggressive actions" in the South China Sea at the weekend, as Manila's defence minister dared Beijing to bolster its vast sovereignty claims by taking them to international arbitration.

The foreign ministry accused China's coastguard of using water cannon against a civilian boat supplying troops on Saturday at the Second Thomas Shoal, which it said damaged the boat and injured some crew, in the latest in a succession of flare-ups in the past year.

"China's continued interference with the Philippines' routine and lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is unacceptable," the Philippine foreign ministry said in a statement, which announced the charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy had been summoned and a diplomatic protest lodged in Beijing.

"It infringes upon the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction," it said, demanding Chinese vessels leave the area.

China's coastguard said on Saturday it took necessary measures against Philippine vessels that were intruding in its waters.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines' 320 km EEZ.

The Philippines intentionally grounded an old warship at the shoal in 1999, as a means of bolstering its territorial claims and has kept a small contingent of military there ever since.

China has deployed hundreds of coastguard vessel throughout the South China Sea to patrol what it considers its waters, despite a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in a case brought by Manila that said the claim had no basis under international law. China has refused to recognise that outcome.

Philippine