US, Japan slam China's latest WPS attack: 'Unlawful, unacceptable'

MANILA – The United States and Japan called out China's latest aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as "unlawful" and "unacceptable".

In a post on X (Twitter) on Sunday, US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson reiterated Washington DC's support for the Philippines with the hashtag #FriendsPartnersAllies.

"Unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive conduct by the PRC disrupted a legal Philippine mission, endangering lives – the latest in multiple dangerous actions by the PRC (People's Republic of China)," the post read.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya also posted on X that Tokyo opposes any action that increases tension in WPS and endangers people's lives.

"Another unacceptable development around Sabina Shoal. Any harassment and actions which increase tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are not tolerated. Upholding a rules-based international order and adhering to commitments must prevail," he said.

On Sunday, National Task Force for the WPS (NTF-WPS) spokesperson and National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said Manila remains steadfast in asserting its rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

This came after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002), encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight Chinese maritime vessels while operating from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Escoda Shoal.

The actions of China's vessels aimed to block the BFAR vessel's humanitarian mission to resupply Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies.

The BRP Datu Sanday was targeted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship 626 and multiple China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and attempted to encircle and block the humanitarian mission.

Hasa-Hasa (Half-Moon) Shoal is approximately 60 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan, while Escoda (Sabina) Shoal is about 110 nautical miles away.

Both islands, the NTF-WPS said, are well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

It added that these unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve.

However, in the face of said provocative maneuvers, the crew aboard the BFAR vessel maintains high morale and remains safe and unharmed.

The task force also dismissed claims that Filipinos fell overboard and were subsequently rescued by the CCG after the ramming incident.

It added this "fake news and misinformation" is a clear illustration of China's "willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image".

On Aug. 22, Chinese military aircraft also launched flares from their militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef, during a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Flight conducted by the BFAR.

The NTF-WPS noted that the Zamora Reef is within the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island.

In coordination with the PCG, the BFAR aircraft, Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, was tasked with monitoring and intercepting poachers encroaching upon the Philippines' EEZ and the territorial seas of the maritime features constituting the Kalayaan Island Group.

This same BFAR aircraft also faced harassment from the China People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Fighter Jet 63270 on Aug. 19 during an MDA flight near Bajo de Masinloc, which deployed flares multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters from the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft, jeopardizing the safety of the personnel onboard the BFAR aircraft. (PNA)