n Manila, the Philippine coast guard affirmed its commitment to maintaining a presence in a contested area of the South China Sea to prevent China from conducting reclamation activities at the Sabina Shoal, according to its spokesperson on Monday.
The coast guard announced on Saturday that it had dispatched a vessel to Sabina Shoal, where it alleged that China was constructing an artificial island, amid escalating tensions over maritime disputes. It also mentioned that two other vessels were on rotational deployment in the vicinity.
Since the vessel’s deployment in mid-April, the coast guard reported discovering piles of dead and crushed coral dumped on the sandbars of Sabina Shoal, resulting in alterations to their sizes and elevation.
Jay Tarriela, the Philippine coast guard spokesperson, emphasized during a press conference on Monday that it was imperative for the coast guard to ensure that “China does not succeed in reclaiming land at Sabina Shoal.” He reiterated the coast guard’s commitment to maintaining a presence at the shoal, known as Escoda in Manila.
Situated within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, Sabina Shoal serves as a rendezvous point for vessels conducting resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed on a grounded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal, where frequent maritime confrontations between Manila and Beijing have occurred.
China’s extensive land reclamation activities on certain islands in the South China Sea, resulting in the construction of military facilities, have raised concerns in Washington and across the region.
Tarriela expressed confidence that the coast guard’s presence had deterred China from undertaking small-scale reclamation activities. No documented activity has been observed from Chinese vessels present at Sabina Shoal since the deployment of the multi-role response vessel in mid-April, he stated, adding that “China does not want to be caught.”
There was no immediate response from the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding Tarriela’s statements. However, in a statement issued on Sunday, the embassy reiterated China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and adjacent waters.
China asserts territorial claims over almost the entire strategic waterway, including portions claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Beijing’s claims had no legal basis under international law, a decision that China refuses to acknowledge.
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