China, Philippines Trade Blame After 1 Sailor Is Injured at Second Thomas Shoal
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 20
China, Philippines Trade Blame After 1 Sailor Is Injured at Second Thomas Shoal
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 20
Summary
A Philippine sailor was injured in a Monday clash near Second Thomas Shoal, with Manila saying Chinese coast guard personnel hit him in the head with a wooden baton.
China’s coast guard rejected that account, saying 2 Philippine boats ignored warnings and rammed one of its patrol vessels first during the confrontation near the BRP Sierra Madre outpost.
Second Thomas Shoal lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS, and Manila again pointed to the 2016 arbitration ruling that backed its maritime rights.
The dispute flared as Southeast Asian foreign ministers gathered in Manila with China’s Wang Yi attending, and the US State Department condemned what it called China’s dangerous and aggressive actions.