Philippines suspends South China Sea survey after China's 'harassment'

25/1/2025 12:29

The Philippines said on Saturday it had suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.



Manila and Beijing have had a series of escalating confrontations in disputed waters of the South China Sea. China claims almost all the strategic waterway, through which $3 trillion of commerce moves annually, overlapping with claims by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.



On Friday, two Philippine Bureau of Fisheries vessels, on their way to collect sand samples from Sandy Cay near the Philippine-occupied Thitu island, encountered "aggressive manoeuvres" from three Chinese Coast Guard vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement.



China deployed four small boats to "harass" two rigid hull inflatable boats deployed by the fisheries bureau to transport personnel to the Sandy Cay, said the Philippine Coast Guard, which supported the scientific mission.



A Chinese navy helicopter also hovered at an "unsafe altitude" over those craft, it said.



Survey operations were suspended "as a result of this continuous harassment and the disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces", the Philippine Coast Guard said.