The Philippines has accused a Chinese coast guard ship of hitting one of its own vessels with a military-grade laser and temporarily blinding its crew members. The incident took place in the disputed South China Sea, where the Philippines and China are currently facing tensions. The Philippines claims the South China Sea falls within its sovereign territory, however, China claims the region almost in its entirety, putting it at odds with the other countries who have overlapping claims in the resource-rich waterway.
The Philippines has submitted nearly 200 diplomatic protests against China’s aggressive actions in the disputed waters in 2022 alone. The latest incident, which took place on February 6, is the first time the Chinese coast guard has used lasers and caused physical harm to the Philippine personnel. A video released by the Philippine coast guard shows a Chinese ship emitting a green laser-like light, which temporarily blinded some of the crew members on board the Philippine patrol vessel BRP Malapascua.
In response, the Philippine military has called on China to restrain its forces from committing “any provocative act that will endanger the lives of people.” The military has also called the action taken by the Chinese coast guard “offensive and unsafe.” The incident occurred when the Philippine coast guard vessel was escorting a supply ship that was delivering food and sailors to a Philippine navy sentry ship.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, has claimed that the Philippine coast guard vessel entered Chinese waters without permission. The ministry spokesperson has said that the Chinese coast guard responded “professionally and with restraint.”
The South China Sea is a busy waterway, where a bulk of the world’s commerce and oil transits. The region is also being claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, apart from China and the Philippines. The United States lays no claims to the disputed sea but has deployed forces to promote freedom of navigation and overflight, which has caused anger in Beijing.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps recently conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea, at a time of increased tensions with Beijing. The U.S. is also taking steps to rebuild its military might in the Philippines and reinforce its military alliances in Asia.
(Inputs from AP)
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