Philippines accuses Chinese navy ship of ‘alarming’ radar lock on its vessel

MANILA – The Philippine military accused a Chinese navy ship of directing its fire-control radar against one of its vessels as it patrolled the South China Sea on March 7, calling the move “alarming” and “provocative”.

BRP Miguel Malvar, a guided missile frigate, was conducting a maritime patrol in the vicinity of the Sabina Shoal when a Chinese navy vessel approached and later aimed its fire-control radar towards it, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a March 20 statement.

“This was an alarming and provocative action that created unnecessary risk and could have led to misinterpretation and misunderstanding at sea,” the AFP said.

Fire control radar is used to pinpoint the location of a target for missiles or shells.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sabina Shoal, which China refers to as Xianbin Reef and the Philippines as the Escoda Shoal, lies 150km west of the Philippine province of Palawan, within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“While the situation did not further escalate, the incident underscores the need for all states to act with restraint and professionalism at sea,” the AFP said.

The Philippines and China have been involved in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years, with Manila accusing Beijing of “dangerous manoeuvres” inside its exclusive economic zone, including the use of water cannons to interfere with resupply missions to Philippine-held features.

China has insisted its actions were professional and meant to defend what it says is its own territory.

The Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 that found China’s sweeping claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea had no basis under international law, a decision that Beijing continuously rejects. REUTERS