The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Sunday took restriction measures when Philippine vessels again  trespassed into waters off a Chinese reef in the South China Sea and intentionally rammed a Chinese ship, 

with observers slamming the Philippines for breaking a tacit understanding with China and launching  unprofessional operations, and also the US for fuelling the Philippines’ audacity of provocations. 

Vessels of the China Coast Guard conduct law enforcement exercises. Photo: China Coast Guard 

Two coast guard ships, one government ship and one transport ship from the Philippines attempted to send  building materials to its illegally grounded warship on the Ren’ai Jiao (also known as Ren’ai Reef) on Sunday, seriously violating China’s sovereignty, and the CCG implemented restriction measures in  accordance with the law and regulations, the CCG said in a press release on Sunday early in the morning. 

Later on Sunday morning, the CCG issued a second press release, revealing that despite stern warnings  from China, a Philippine vessel, the Unaiza May 1, violated the International Regulations for Preventing  Collisions at Sea and made an unprofessional and dangerous turn at 6:39 am, as it intentionally rammed  into CCG ship 21556, which was on a routine law enforcement mission, resulting in a minor collision. 

CCG spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that the CCG took restriction measures  against the Philippine vessel Kalayaan, which carried building materials, while CCG made a temporary  special arrangement to the Unaiza May 1 that carried necessary living materials including food. 

Chinese on-site operations were legitimate and professional, and the responsibility for the minor collision lies with the Philippine side that intentionally provoked Chinese ships, Gan said, demanding the Philippines  to immediately stop its infringements and strictly restrict frontline provocations. 

The Philippine vessels’ trespasses in waters off Ren’ai Reef on Sunday marked the second consecutive day  the Philippines has provoked over a Chinese island or reef in the South China Sea, as three Philippines  vessels from its bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources intruded into waters adjacent to China’s  Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) on Saturday and saw their maneuvers restricted by the  China Coast Guard in accordance with the law. 

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the world navy research center at the National Institute for South China Sea  Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that the main reasons behind the recent consecutive  confrontations between China and the Philippines over islands and reefs in the South China Sea are that the  Philippines unilaterally broke the tacit understanding that was previously reached by the two countries, and  the Philippines’ unprofessional operations. 

Under representations and protests from China, the Philippines had agreed to tow away its warship that  was illegally grounded on Ren’ai Reef in 1999, and when the Philippines previously sent supplies to the  warship – with no building materials allowed – it had informed China, Chen said. 

However starting this year, the Philippines no longer informs the Chinese side and started to send building  materials in an obvious attempt to repair its deteriorating warship and build some permanent facilities like  generators, living quarters and even military fortifications, Chen said. 

While this round of provocations by the Philippines started in August, a recent US warship trespass in waters off Ren’ai Reef further encouraged the country’s audacity, observers said. 

The USS Gabrielle Giffords littoral combat ship on December 4 illegally intruded into waters adjacent to  Ren’ai Reef without authorization from the Chinese government, and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army 

(PLA) Southern Theater Command organized naval forces, and tracked and monitored the US vessel throughout its entire course on high alert, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson at the PLA Southern  Theater Command, said in a statement on the day. 

Chen said that the US has been encouraging the Philippines’ provocations, including sending spy planes and  holding training activities near the region, which is another reason behind the recent tensions. According to  reports by Reuters, the CCG fired water cannons as part of its restriction measures during the incidents on  Saturday and Sunday. 

While the Philippines and the Western media want to hype the so-called aggressive actions by China, the  reported deployment of water cannons reflects China’s restraint in dealing with the Philippine provocations  in a move to avoid a potential escalation, analysts said. 

Water cannons are a defensive tool and is not for offensive use, as it is deployed to warn and stop  provocations, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday. 

China has decisive advantages over the Philippines when comparing the two countries’ maritime forces, so  should a conflict really take place in an uncontrolled manner, it is the Philippines that will suffer, he said. 

China’s restriction measures are aimed at safeguarding its national sovereignty, and are completely  legitimate and justified, said experts, who urged the Philippines to stop making provocations, return to talks  to resolve differences, and tow away its illegally grounded warship on the Ren’ai Reef as soon as possible as  it had once promised. Source: Global Times