Weapons Delivery, Reasons For Chinese Coast Guard To Hijack Up To The Philippine Ship

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian in a press conference in Beijing, on Friday (21/6). (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia)

JAKARTA - Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian revealed the Philippine navy supplies building materials as well as weapons and ammunition to the BRP Sierra Madre warship in the Ren'ai Jiao area, causing Chinese coast guard to board and search the ship.

"The Philippines lied about its mission, which according to the Philippines, to supply the life needs of soldiers on military ships anchored in Ren'ai Jiao," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 21.

"As China has repeatedly shown, the Philippines is sending building materials and even weapons and ammunition to the military ship," added Lin Jian.

On Tuesday (18/6), the Philippine Armed Forces confirmed a naval soldier was injured following a deliberate high-speed collision by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) against a Philippine ship undergoing a resupply mission for the disputed BRP Sierra Madre in the waters of the South China Sea.

Philippine officials also claimed that CCG personnel stabbed naval ships using their bolos and then confiscated their weapons.

Since 1999, the Philippines has placed the BRP Sierra Madre warship as a "floating headquarters" for Philippine coast guard on the Ren'ai Jiao reef and sent people to fill the supplies at the floating headquarters.

"It is forbidden to repair and strengthen the ship on a large scale so that it can occupy Ren'ai Jiao permanently. The Philippine action violates China's sovereignty," said Lin Jian.

China, said Lin Jian, firmly rejects it and will respond firmly in accordance with the laws and regulations.

"I want to emphasize once again that the cause of the current situation in Ren'ai Jiao is the Philippines in violation of its commitments, refusing to withdraw illegally anchored warships in Ren'ai Jiao for 25 years and continuing to send building materials to strengthen the warship," added Lin Jian.

Lin Jian revealed that the presence of the BRP Sierra Madre in the disputed area is strong evidence of the continuous provocations and violations by the Philippines against China for decades.

"The Philippines' bad faith and violation of the spirit of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as well as the losses caused to the environment in the South China Sea.

"We urge the Philippines to immediately stop provoking and violate China's sovereignty," said Lin Jian.

He also asked the Philippines to return to the right path and deal with disputes well through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible.

Philippine Military Commander General Romeo Brawner Jr previously admitted that they had weapons on the ship but did not use them.

He said the Philippine army fought hand in hand to prevent Chinese troops from attacking them.

The Chinese government claims to have sovereign and jurisdictional rights over islands called "Nanhai Zhudao" in the South China Sea, consisting of Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao or better known as Pratas Islands, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and Macclesfield Bank areas.

The coral island is called China by the name "Ren'ai Jiao", while by the Philippines as "Beting Ayungin" is part of the Spratly Islands disputed by the two countries, as well as several other Southeast Asian countries.

The South China Sea is still a hotspot in the region because China claims almost all the waters in the South China Sea.

ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines also claim the region.

Most recently, the Chinese government imposed new rules for their operations in the South China Sea. Based on these new guidelines, China could detain suspected violators for up to 60 days.

The law, which has been issued since 2021, regulates permits for Chinese coast guards to fire on foreign ships, destroying buildings of other countries established on coral reefs that are claimed to belong to China and the right to inspect foreign vessels in waters called Chinese ownership.