Chinese vessels again accused of ‘dangerous maneuvers’

by FranCes mangosing Inquirer.net

MANILA — Chinese coast guard ships maneuvered dangerously close to two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships supporting a Philippine Navy resupply mission in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last week, the latest of Beijing’s coercive actions in the hotly contested waterway.

“The Philippine Coast Guard is concerned about the behavior of the Chinese coast guard vessels. It seems like they are putting in extra effort to stop us from reaching Ayungin Shoal,”

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told the Inquirer on Tuesday, July 4.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with bow numbers 4203 and 5201 conducted “dangerous maneuvers” to block the PCG’s 44-meter vessels BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) and BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) from coming closer to the shoal, he said.

Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef 194 kilometers off Palawan province, is within the Philippines’ exclusive