China has driven off two Philippine government ships that tried to “illegally land” on a disputed reef in the South China Sea on Friday, according to the country’s coastguards.
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The ships “trespassed” into waters near Sandy Cay in the Spratly Islands to collect sand samples and had been “intercepted, controlled and warned off … in accordance with the law,” Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the coastguards, said.
“China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands … and adjacent waters,” Liu said, using China’s name for the Spratly Islands.
“The China Coast Guard will continue to lawfully carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction, resolutely safeguarding the nation’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights,” he added.
The Chinese statement came hours after the Philippines accused China of conducting “aggressive manoeuvres” against two ships from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) which were carrying out “a marine scientific survey”.
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“As a result of this continuous harassment and the disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces, BFAR and PCG [the Philippine Coast Guard] have regrettably suspended their survey operations,” Jay Tarriela, a spokesman for the coastguards posted on social media.