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Philippine President Vows to Defend Territory After Latest Maritime Clash

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ASEAN Beat | Security | Southeast Asia

Philippine President Vows to Defend Territory After Latest Maritime Clash

In two separate incidents over the weekend, Chinese vessels collided with and used water cannons against Philippine ships in contested parts of the South China Sea.

Philippine President Vows to Defend Territory After Latest Maritime Clash

In this photo issued by the Philippine Coast Guard, a China Coast Guard vessel fires a water cannon at a Philippines supply ship in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, December 10, 2023.

Credit: X/Jay Tarriela

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to defend his country’s territory after two more confrontations with Chinese vessels in contested parts of the South China Sea over the weekend. The two incidents, one of which involved a collision between a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and a Philippine resupply ship, took place in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, the site of a number of recent skirmishes between the two nations.

“The aggression and provocations perpetrated by the China Coast Guard and their Chinese Maritime Militia against our vessels and personnel over the weekend have only further steeled our determination to defend and protect our nation’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” Marcos said in a statement, using his government’s term for its portion of the South China Sea.

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