The Philippines today condemned China’s alleged attacks on Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, with Manila and Beijing also engaged in violent clashes that have raised fears of war.
Vietnam has accused Chinese law enforcement of beating 10 fishermen with bicycles and robbing them of thousands of dollars worth of equipment on Sunday off the Paracel Islands. A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that there was an incident, but dismissed the Vietnamese version of the incident.
Beijing and Hanoi claim the Paracel Islands, but the Philippines does not. We strongly condemn the violent and illegal act of Chinese sailors against Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands on September 29, 2024, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement.
He described the unjustified attack as an unprecedented and unprecedented incident in international relations. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs also released a statement today saying they are aware of the serious matter.
The Philippines has always condemned the use of force, aggression and intimidation in the South China Sea and stressed the need for actors to exercise restraint, he said. It is important to support the safety at sea of ships and their crews, especially fishermen.
This happened more than three months after Chinese law enforcement officers attacked Filipino soldiers with knives, sticks and axes who were trying to bring back Philippine soldiers from the Second Thomas Bench in the Spratly Archipelago. The Chinese captured weapons and other equipment and damaged Philippine ships, with the Philippine captain losing a thumb in the June 17 melee.
In recent months, Chinese and other vessels have repeatedly collided with, blockaded, and blocked Philippine government vessels around Second Thomas Bank and Sabina Bank in the Spratlys, as well as in Scarborough Bank and another area. the sea. Beijing claims most of the South China Sea and has sought for years to expand its presence in the disputed area, defying international rulings that its claims to many waterways have no legal basis.
Beijing has built artificial islands with missile systems and airstrips, and has brought in ships that the Philippines says are harassing its ships and harassing its fishermen.
