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| China, Philippine ships clash: 'You are coming into our territory, you will be responsible for the consequences |
A Chinese coast guard vessel intercepted a Philippine patrol vessel in the South China Sea when the two vessels were close to colliding.
China's claim to a large area of the South China Sea has worried the US and its allies.
The BBC took a closer look at the encounter last Sunday near Second Thomas Shoal in the remote Spratly Islands, which Manila says is in line with China's methods.
The near-miss of the countries' ships in the South China Sea came days after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Geng met in Manila, hoping to open the door to dialogue on the South China Sea dispute. had gone
The Philippine Coast Guard said it had invited journalists to join a routine patrol so they could witness China's actions firsthand.
During the six-day 1,670-kilometer voyage of the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels, news cameras recorded Chinese vessels sending radio warnings to Filipinos to leave or be prepared for the consequences.
China claims much of the South Sea, including the Spartan Islands, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines.
Similar claims are made by Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan.
Various countries' claims to the South China Sea have made it one of the world's biggest flashpoints, especially as tensions between the US and China have risen.
First, access to these waters is key to Taiwan's defense, over which China's claims have intensified.
Second, these waterways carry $5 trillion in global trade each year, raising concerns that Beijing's growing influence could restrict trade.
But China has ignored the International Court of Arbitration ruling that China's claim to almost the entire South China Sea is invalid.
China has built artificial islands on top of reefs in the South China Sea, increased patrols, and recently fired mixed-grade laser waves at Philippine ships to make them difficult to see.
On the other hand, the Philippines is relying on its long-time ally, the United States, which calls China's actions against the "freedom of navigation" of other countries.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have escalated as the largest-ever US-Philippines military exercise is in its final stages.
The tension between the Philippines and China comes at a time when the US has gained access to key military bases in the Philippines, most of which are facing Taiwan.
A Glimpse of Chinese Initiatives
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines has said that China has used extremely dangerous tactics on the Second Thomas Shoal and Philippine ships were legitimately patrolling the area. However, Beijing has accused the Philippines of trespassing in Chinese waters.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore J. Tarella said the Chinese have been using the tactic of chasing ships for a long time, but now the whole world is getting a chance to see it because of the media.
On April 23, the crew of the Philippine vessel noticed that the Chinese vessel that was chasing their Malapascua vessel had increased its speed.
The BBC observed this from another Philippine ship, the Malabrigo, a kilometer away.
Finally, the Chinese ship engaged the Philippine ship and it became clear that the Philippine ship was powerless against a Chinese ship twice its size.
The Chinese ship blocked his path and despite repeated warnings, he did not deviate from his course. The Philippine ship shut down its engine to avoid colliding with the Chinese ship.
When a Chinese ship intercepts a Philippine ship, it warns that 'you are coming into our territory, we will act according to the law, and you will be responsible for the consequences.'
Roger Hernandez, the commander of the Philippine ship Mala Pascua, said that after the dangerous maneuvers of the Chinese ship, it came only 45 meters away from the Philippine ship.
This was the closest Hernandez's ship had ever been to another ship. Earlier, China used a military-grade laser on Hernandez's ship in February this year.
After a 30-minute standoff, the Philippine ship stopped its patrol on the Second Thomas Shoal. It is one of the disputed islands where the Philippines has moored an old ship, the Surrey Madre, with a few marines on board to bolster its claim of ownership.
How is China strengthening its position?
China has always barred the Philippines from patrolling in the Second Thomas Shoal. Second Thomas Shoal is also one of the islands whose case was before the International Court of Arbitration in 2016. The Second Thomas Shoal is home to a large number of fish and is known in the Philippines as the Dungeon.
Journalists who were present on the Philippine patrol ship also witnessed the living conditions of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Crews on both Philippine patrol boats have scripts ready to alert or respond to Chinese vessels.
Radio warnings from the Chinese, often in English or Chinese, are given at some point during the day they can also come in the morning or in the dark of night.
In recent weeks, some Chinese ships have not even bothered to respond to warnings from Philippine crews. Some Chinese militia ships turn off their tracking systems so they cannot be seen on radar.
The Coast Guard mission also found about 10 militia vessels near the V-shaped Whitson Reef in the Spratly area.
The Philippine ship's crew said they had informed the government agency responsible for dealing with the South China Sea dispute about China's recent actions.