Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has summoned China's ambassador to express his "serious concern" over China's actions in the South China Sea.
Key points:
- The Philippines foreign ministry has called on Beijing to stop its vessels' "aggressive activities"
- The country claims crew on its petrol vessel were briefly blinded by the Chinese coast guard ship military-grade laser
- The incident has led to the Philippines filing another diplomatic protests against China's aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea
The Philippine coastguard on Monday said a Chinese coastguard ship had directed a "military-grade laser" at one of its ships supporting a resupply mission to troops in the disputed waterway on February 6, temporarily blinding its crew on the bridge.
The incident, which followed Mr Marcos's state visit to China last month, has stoked long-running diplomatic tension between the Philippines and China over the latter's expansive claims in the South China Sea, which an international tribunal in The Hague invalidated in 2016.
Mr Marcos relayed his concern "over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen", including its use of "military grade laser" against one of Manila's vessels, his office said in a statement.
The Department of Foreign Affairs separately sent a strongly worded diplomatic protest to the Chinese Embassy that "condemned the shadowing, harassment, dangerous manoeuvres, directing of military-grade laser, and illegal radio challenges" by the Chinese ship.
The Philippines has filed nearly 200 diplomatic protests against China's aggressive actions in the disputed waters in 2022 alone.
"These acts of aggression by China are disturbing and disappointing," foreign affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a statement.
In response, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said he discussed with Mr Marcos how to implement the consensus reached by the two countries on managing maritime differences during the Philippine leader's China visit.
US, Japan condemn 'dangerous behaviour'
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, and the waters have become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between it and the United States — as well as a source of tension between it and some South-east Asian countries including the Philippines.
The sea is rich in oil, gas and fish. About $US3 trillion ($4.2 trillion) in ship-borne trade passes through it annually.
The United States, which supports the 2016 arbitration ruling, said on Monday it stood with the Philippines over the reported laser use.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said China's "dangerous operational behaviour directly threatens regional peace and stability, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law and undermines the rules-based international order".
"The United States stands with our Philippine allies," Mr Price said in a statement.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko also expressed serious concerns about "dangerous behaviour" against Philippine vessels.
"All states should respect maritime order based on international law," Mr Koshikawa said.
"We firmly oppose any action that increase tensions."
The Philippine coastguard was supporting a navy mission to deliver food and supplies to troops on the Second Thomas Shoal, 195 km off the Philippine province of Palawan, in the South China Sea.
Locally known as Ayungin, the shoal is home to a small Philippine military contingent on board a World War Two ship which was intentionally grounded on the shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago.
Reuters/AP