BAGUIO CITY – Often, conceit speaks for itself. As China, dubbed by many critical-thinking highlanders and lowlanders and other Filipinos from other regions as the “greatest bully in the Asian neighborhood” by forcibly claiming large swathes of water and land as its own — from its neighboring countries like the Philippines – many governments worldwide, now realize China’s hidden agenda of wanting to conquer South China Sea as part of its broader strategy for regional dominance.
Falsely accusing the Philippine Coast Guard, the last day of April of having “deliberately rammed” a China Coast Guard vessel, the Chinese used this lie to attack Philippine navy boats with high-pressure water cannons.
Small compared to the China Coast Guard ship, Philippine boat BRP Bankaw was on its way to deliver supplies to Philippine Marines stationed at Thomas Shoal when the Chinese ship, in bad faith, let loose the high pressure waters.
Thomas Shoal is a submerged reef very well confined in the Philippines exclusive economic zone in its sovereign territory. It is called by Filipinos as the Ayungin Shoal.
Whereas, China is desperate to make the world swallow its 9-Line claim over South China Sea that an International Court rejected seven years ago, by using aggression, intimidation and harassment like use of powerful water cannons to strike legitimate navy or coast guard ships like what it has done for the umpteenth time to the Philippine Navy,
Philippines, on the other hand, is hard at work showing the world “It will not follow the Chinese coast guard and Chinese vessels down that road,” stated clearly by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adding “The mission of the both the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard in the contested waters is to maintain peace and lower tensions and that there is no plan of installing water cannons on coast guard ships.
“What we are doing is defending our sovereign rights and our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and we have no intention of attacking anyone with water cannons or any such offensive equipment,” Marcos explicitly says.
During the last day of April, Chinese coast guard ships have again spewed high-pressure cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, or commonly named by Filipinos as the “Ayungin” (isang uri ng maliit na isda sa Pilipinas) Shoal in the South China Sea.
Philippine Coast Guard (PGC) vessel BRP Bagacay and fishery patrol ship BRP Bankaw were on duty fulfilling normal patrol work near Ayungin Shoal water when four China coast guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels surrounded the two Philippine vessels and made dangerous maneuvers.
They then water cannoned BRP Bagacay from both sides, causing damage to the ship’s railing and a canopy. The Chinese vessels first turned on BRP Bankaw, causing damage to the ship’s navigation, electrical and radio systems, including parts of its deck railing and a canopy, stated PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela.
A video shot by reporters on board Bankaw appeared to show the Chinese vessel colliding with BRP Bankaw, as the Chinese continued firing at close range, further impairing BRP Bankaw’s radar navigation system.
Journalists are now joining resupply missions of the Philippine Navy on the shoal and documented events happening, aimed at shedding light on China’s grey zone tactics. China, highly irritated, is calling it, “The Philippines is stirring trouble and spreading misinformation.”
In a statement, the Philippine National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea described the Chinese “illegal and irresponsible behavior,” as “highlighting its egregious disregard for the Philippines lawful exercise of its rights and entitlements in our own Exclusive Economic Zone.”
More importantly, China is facing a growing international backlash after the latest use of the Chinese coast guard on water cannons at BRP Bankaw and BRP Bagacay. Analysts say the Chinese irresponsible actions will lead to more escalation in an already tense area and could propel the United States and its allies to speed up plans for joint patrols in the waterways of Ayungin Shoal.
Australia, Japan and Germany called the Chinese actions “dangerous” and “destabilizing.” While the Canadian Embassy in Manila says “Ottawa unreservedly condemns the dangerous and provocative actions taken by the Chinese coast guard.”
Closer to home, Philippine senator Robin Padilla wondered whether the Philippine Navy has water cannons too, in their ships, which they can utilize to retaliate against the Chinese coast guard.
“Bakit tayo na lang lagi ang mukhang aping-api. Bakit wala ba tayong pangbomba ng tubig para makaganti man lang tayo,” the senator intoned when asked about the recent incident.
However, Marcos statement on the latest water cannoning answers Padilla’s query, when the President said the mission of the both the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard in the contested waters is to maintain peace and lower tensions and that there are no plans to install water cannons on Philippine naval vessels.
Also the Philippine Navy has thumbed down the use of water tactics against the Chinese vessels, even as the Chinese coast guard continues to do the same.
Albert Belancod, a local political observer from Baguio City explained Senator Padilla was merely voicing the frustration of the majority of Filipinos on the Chinese irresponsible behavior.
Claudio Abelino, from the Mountain Province, a close observer of the Philippine-China tiff on the sea reminded of how many times the Chinese coast guard used water cannons on Philippine naval boats.
Abelino said China has committed eight cases of water cannoning of Philippine naval boats and the recent incident puts the water bombarding to ninth. And Abelino asked, “When will the Chinese coast guard stop its atrocious bombarding?”
Gregorio Ampado, 59, a half-breed Igorot and Ilocano and who worked as OFW for more than ten years as seaman on oil tankers capable of carrying thousand gallons of oil said these big ships are installed with powerful water cannons as one safety measure in cases of fire.
“The point I am trying to explain is, these cannons are very high-powered, can harm seafarers severely, at the same time causing incalculable damage to naval systems. I have experienced cases as OFW seaman trying to salvage ship instruments and systems whenever fire has started in our ship and we had to use water cannons to extinguish fires. Water cannons can break the lungs or bones of anybody the jet water is directed at. Use of it is a weapon of destruction; it is very effective” Ampado explains.
Malvar Agratep, 67, from Pangasinan e-mailed by saying, “China is thousands of nautical miles from the Philippines and has the obnoxious gall to claim part of the Philippines.”
At this moment, it remains vague if this pattern of escalation ends. Marcos has pledged not to cede an inch of Philippine territory while China treats the Philippines and its claims to the waters with haughty disdain. The latest water cannoning stands proof of China’s belligerency.
Padilla later softened his stance, saying “Daanan natin ito sa usapan ng diplomasya,” furthering intoning the Philippines can ill afford to be in chaos with other nations, like what is happening in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Utilization of forcible aggression by the Chinese coast guard has become routine in the West Philippine Sea, with China becoming more bellicose in enforcing its imaginary 9-Line claim. The West Philippine Sea is part of the South China Sea.
But Beijing has to grapple with uncertainty as more countries openly criticize its latest water-cannoning. European Union (EU) top envoy to Manila openly declared “Beijing’s behavior against international law.”
“Dangerous maneuvers, water cannoning, floating barrier or any aggressive behaviors is a threat to safety of lives at sea, the freedom of navigation and the prohibition of the use of force or coercion,” EU Luc Veron wrote in a post.
For the Philippines, the Senate stepped up by passing a resolution condemning Beijing’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
Said resolutions include bringing international attention to China’s violation of the 2016 arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines legitimate claim within the contested waters, rally multilateral support for implementation of the ruling and filing a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly by calling out the Chinese aggression.
During the passage of the resolution, senator Risa Hontiveros ventilated her mind by saying, “The fight against China’s reckless behavior in the West Philippine Sea does not end here,” (meaning, the Senate). “This bipartisan effort tells Filipino people that when it comes to matters of national sovereignty, we will never be bullied into submission.” Hontiveros declared.
For example, the government’s intelligence arm is deep in probing into the sudden influx of Chinese posing as students and flocking to areas close to military bases where American troops have access.
Lawmakers passed a resolution requesting the National Security Council (NSC) to look into the puzzling inrush of Chinese persons in Cagayan Valley where two bases have been approved by the government for use by American troops under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya explains, “Our intelligence units have been assigned to take a look at the situation there. Is this a case of national security threat or, is this just a case of people wanting to study in the Philippines?”
Earlier, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed that 1,500 Chinese nationals received student visas in 2023 after endorsement from a Cagayan university.
But Malaya said a lot of issues need resolving, as far as the presence of Chinese students is concerned, including their number as it appears to be contradictory from BI and intelligence reports.
Malaya confirmed BI only reported a hundred Chinese students but intelligence revealed they were in the thousands as more than 4,600 Chinese nationals enrolled in a university and have rented houses in various locations in Tuguegarao.
Influx of Chinese workers, businessmen, tourists and students in the Philippines is alarming, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers says declaring further that “The creeping invasion (of the Chinese) has begun.”
