High Tension: Philippines Sends Coast Guard to Intercept China Coast Guard in South China Sea
High Tension: Philippines Sends Coast Guard to Intercept China Coast Guard in South China Sea.
The Philippines has dispatched three Coast Guard vessels to safeguard a civilian flotilla heading to a contested shoal in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have frequently clashed over territorial claims.
Earlier this week, the Chinese Coast Guard reportedly carried out standard drills near the shoal, as reported by the Chinese governmental broadcaster CCTV. Atin Ito had previously conducted a trip that was very similar to this one in December, with the intention of delivering supplies to troops that were stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. However, the journey was called off due to what the crew described as being shadowed and harassed by Chinese coast guard ships.