According to China’s maritime safety authority, the same Philippine ship later entered waters near the Second Thomas Reef. “The Philippines has repeatedly provoked and stirred up trouble and violated the temporary agreements between China and the Philippines,” Gan said.
China and the Philippines reached a provisional agreement in July after tensions erupted at the Second Thomas Reef. China had been criticized by Western countries for blocking Philippine aid efforts for a naval vessel that was deliberately grounded there 25 years ago. The ship serves as a base for the Philippine outpost that is used to maintain its territorial claim.
The dispute over territorial claims in the South China Sea has been simmering for years. China claims almost the entire area, including the two reefs mentioned, for itself. A ruling by the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016, which declared China’s far-reaching claims to be contrary to international law, is not recognized by the government in Beijing.
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