MANILA – The Philippines on Sunday accused the China Coast Guard of installing a “floating barrier” in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying it prevented Filipinos from entering and fishing in the area.
The Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources “strongly condemn” China's installation of the barrier in part of the Scarborough Shoal, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Coast Guard spokesman, posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The barrier blocking fishermen from the shoal was depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities, he said.
“The (Philippine Coast Guard) will continue to work closely with all concerned government agencies to address these challenges, uphold our maritime rights and protect our maritime domains,” Commodore Tarriela said.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
China claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Beijing seized the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel further for smaller catches.
Beijing allowed Filipino fishermen to return to the uninhabited shoal when bilateral relations were improving markedly under then President Rodrigo Duterte.
But tension has mounted again since his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022.
Philippine Coast Guard and fisheries bureau personnel discovered the floating barrier, estimated at 300m long, on a routine patrol on Friday near the shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, Commodore Tarriela said.
Three Chinese Coast Guard rigid-hull inflatable boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the barrier when the Philippine vessel arrived, he said.
Filipino fishermen say China typically installs such barriers when they monitor a large number of fishermen in the area, Commodore Tarriela said.
The Chinese boats issued 15 radio challenges and accused the Philippine ship and fishermen of violating international and China's laws, before moving away “upon realising the presence of media personnel on board the (Filipino) vessel”, he said. REUTERS
