South China Sea powder keg: trio of China-Philippines clashes in 5 days stokes alarm

The latest occurred on Monday, when Manila says 40 Chinese vessels, including six coastguard craft and three navy ships, blocked two Philippine coastguard patrol boats from completing a “lawful humanitarian operation”.

The vessels were en route to deliver supplies, including an ice cream treat to celebrate National Heroes Day, to a Philippine coastguard ship on patrol at Sabina Shoal. But according to coastguard spokesman Jay Tarriela, China’s “excessive use of force” prevented them from carrying out the routine mission.

It was the third such confrontation in five days. On Sunday, Philippine officials reported that at least eight Chinese coastguard ships had swarmed and blocked a Philippine fisheries enforcement vessel, the BRP Datu Sanday, as it sailed from Half Moon Shoal to Sabina Shoal to provide food and fuel to Filipino fishermen.

The Chinese ships blasted the small patrol boat with water cannons, disabling its engines, and reportedly rammed it – all while journalists on board captured the aggression on video.

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South China Sea: China, Philippines trade blame after second collision at Sabina Shoal

On Monday, Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea called the Chinese actions “unprofessional, aggressive and illegal”, categorically rejecting Beijing’s claims that Filipino personnel had fallen into the sea and been rescued by the Chinese coastguard as “completely unfounded” and “misinformation”.

“The Philippines has never provoked the People’s Republic of China, which in turn has relied on deliberate and international harassment and intimidation,” the task force said. Earlier, the National Maritime Council urged China to halt all provocations, stressing on Sunday that the disputed shoals are well within