Philippines suspends scientific survey in South China Sea, accuses China of ‘harassment’

The Philippines has suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea days after China’s coast guard and navy allegedly “harassment” its fisheries vessels.

The Philippine coast guard on Saturday accused Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter of harassing a group of Philippine fisheries vessels, which were conducting a scientific survey in a disputed area of the South China Sea, forcing them to cancel the mission.

Two Philippine fisheries vessels, which were on their way to the reef to collect sand samples from Sandy Cay near Philippine-occupied Thitu island on Friday, faced “aggressive manoeuvres” from three China Coast Guard ships, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement.

Survey efforts were suspended “as a result of this continuous harassment and the disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces,” the Philippine Coast Guard said.

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Responding to the statement, China Coast Guard said Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands, including Sandy Cay. The statement added that it intercepted two Philippine vessels and drove them away in line with the law. The Chinese Coast Guard added that the Philippine vessels entered waters near Tiexian Reef “without permission and attempted to “illegally” to land on the reef to collect samples.

Manila and Beijing have been struggling with a series of escalating confrontations in disputed waters off the South China Sea. Earlier on January 16, the two countries agreed to reach a common ground to cooperate over territorial claims in the South China Sea.