ASEAN Beat

Philippine Military Demands Return Equipment of Seized by China During Maritime Clash

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ASEAN Beat | Security | Southeast Asia

Philippine Military Demands Return Equipment of Seized by China During Maritime Clash

The Philippine military has also released video footage of Monday’s incident in the South China Sea, which injured eight Filipino sailors, one seriously.

Philippine Military Demands Return Equipment of Seized by China During Maritime Clash
Credit: Photo 235428460 © OnePixelStudio | Dreamstime.com

The head of the Philippine armed forces has demanded that China return firearms and other equipment seized by the China Coast Guard (CCG) during a violent confrontation at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea this week, which the military described as an “act of piracy.”

The incident occurred on Monday, when Chinese vessels forcefully blocked a Philippine resupply mission to the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. During the operation, Chinese personnel on board motorboats repeatedly rammed and then boarded two Philippine navy rigid-hulled inflatable boats in order to prevent Filipino personnel from transferring supplies, including firearms, to the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded warship that functions as Manila’s outpost at the shoal.

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