Military outpost tensions: After Manila rejected Beijing’s initial request, Beijing urged the Philippines once more on Tuesday to pull a grounded cruiser from a disputed shoal. The ship is a World War Two-era ship that is currently being utilised as a military outpost.
Under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., tensions between the two neighbours have increased, leading to Manila’s shift towards the United States, which stands with the Southeast Asian country in its maritime conflicts with China.
The Chinese embassy in Manila blasted Washington for “gathering” its allies to keep “hyping up” the boat incident and the South China Sea dispute.
A few soldiers are stationed on the ex-warship Sierra Madre on the Second Thomas Shoal, which is a part of the Philippine exclusive economic zone. Manila purposefully grounded the ship in 1999 to support its claims to sovereignty.
The Chinese coastguard has been accused by Manila on numerous occasions of obstructing resupply missions to its troops in China, as it did on August 5 when it doused a Philippine ship with water cannon.
The South China Sea is not a “safari park,” according to the embassy, where nations from outside the area can cause trouble and stir division.
China believes that it is unlawful for the Philippines to occupy the shoal.
The Chinese coastguard’s Saturday activities were deemed “excessive and offensive” by the Philippine military. China stated that the incident was a “warning” and that it always acted with “rational restraint.”
On Tuesday, the Chinese military ministry warned Manila to stop all “provocative” acts and promised to keep taking the necessary steps to protect its marine and sovereign rights.
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