Key facts
- Philippine Coast Guard vessels were blocked by China Coast Guard vessels near Thitu Island.
- A Chinese navy helicopter circled overhead during the operation.
- A foreign fishing vessel suspected of dynamite fishing evaded capture.
- A Chinese J-16 fighter jet created an aviation safety risk near Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported on Sunday that Chinese vessels interfered with a law enforcement mission targeting a foreign fishing boat suspected of using dynamite for fishing near Thitu Island in the South China Sea. The PCG described the presence of a Chinese navy helicopter as an "unnecessary act of intimidation," marking the latest in a series of maritime disputes between Manila and Beijing.
The operation, which involved personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, and Philippine National Police Maritime Group, was responding to reports of suspected blast fishing approximately three nautical miles west of Thitu Island, known locally as Pag-asa. According to the PCG, two China Coast Guard vessels sounded horns, issued radio challenges, and subsequently shadowed and blocked the Philippine boats. A People's Liberation Army Navy helicopter also circled the Philippine team four times.
Despite repeated orders to stop, the foreign fishing vessel ignored the commands and proceeded southwest towards Subi Reef, one of China's artificial islands in the Spratlys. The Philippine team eventually abandoned the pursuit due to safety concerns and returned to Thitu Island.
The PCG stated that the China Coast Guard lacked law enforcement authority in the territorial waters of Thitu Island and that their actions facilitated the escape of the suspected violator. They also refuted any Chinese claims of expelling Philippine vessels from the area.
Thitu Island, a coral-fringed feature spanning 37 hectares (0.14 square miles), is the largest and most strategically important of the nine features held by the Philippines in the Spratly archipelago, situated 450 km (280 miles) from the Philippine mainland.
In a separate incident on Saturday, the military reported that a Chinese J-16 fighter jet repeatedly approached and maneuvered close to a Philippine patrol aircraft over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, posing an aviation safety risk. The Armed Forces of the Philippines characterized this as part of a "recurring pattern of unsafe and coercive behaviour" against Philippine vessels and aircraft conducting lawful operations. The Chinese Embassy in Manila had no immediate comment on the weekend's events.