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China has expressed strong opposition to the presence of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) flagship, BRP Teresa Magbanua, which has been anchored at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal—a part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—since April. China warned it would take “firm and decisive actions” in response.
In a statement released over the weekend, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the Philippine vessel entered the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao (Escoda Shoal) without permission and has remained there for an extended period. According to the statement, this action infringes on China’s sovereignty, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and threatens peace and stability in the region.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lian Jian said that China has lodged a formal protest through diplomatic channels, demanding the Philippines cease what it considers infringement activities and withdraw the vessel immediately. “China is closely monitoring developments and will take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests while upholding the sanctity of the DOC,” Lian added.
Meanwhile, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo addressed concerns raised by Beijing over the recent deployment of a mid-range missile system by the U.S. military to the Philippines. During talks last month in Laos on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings, Manalo reassured his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, that the weaponry was only temporarily stationed in the country. “They expressed alarm in a very dramatic way, but I assured them there’s no reason to be worried,” Manalo stated in a press conference in Manila.
China had voiced concerns that the presence of the U.S. missile system could destabilize the region, but Manalo dismissed these worries, emphasizing that the missile system is not destabilizing and will soon be removed from the Philippines.
The U.S. Army had transported the land-based mid-range missile system, capable of firing the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, to the northern Philippines as part of joint combat exercises with Philippine troops. The system was not used during the exercises, and the Philippine military has indicated it may be transported out of the country next month.
China has consistently opposed the increased U.S. military presence in the region, including in the Philippines, warning that such deployments could endanger regional stability and peace. Both the U.S. and the Philippines have repeatedly criticized China’s increasingly assertive actions to strengthen its territorial claims in the South China Sea, where tensions have particularly escalated between Chinese and Philippine coast guard forces and their accompanying vessels.
The BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed at Escoda Shoal since April, and reports suggest that its sister ship, the BRP Melchora Aquino, is en route to relieve the flagship. Since July, China has deployed its vessels, including the 12,000-ton CCG-5901, the world’s largest coastguard vessel, to monitor the Philippine ships.
Additionally, on Friday, the Chinese defense ministry accused the Philippines of “inviting trouble and acting as pawns” by involving the United States and its allies in the South China Sea disputes. The ministry reiterated China’s stance that it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands, reefs, and adjacent waters in the region.
Chinese defense ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang stated, “We will take legitimate countermeasures against deliberate infringements and provocations to protect our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
Escoda Shoal, also known as Xianbin Reef in China and Sabina Shoal in the Philippines, is part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The area has become a focal point of tension between China and the Philippines, alongside the long-contested Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.
