Philippines Commissions US Ships Amid China’s ‘Illegal Activities’ in South China Sea

U.S. service members conduct a boarding on a stateless fishing vessel transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman as a rigid-hull inflatable boat and patrol coastal ship USS Chinook (PC 9) sail nearby on Jan. 18, 2022. U.S. Navy via AP

The Philippine Navy on Sept. 11 commissioned two Cyclone-class patrol ships that were recently donated by the United States to enhance the Asian country’s capacity in the face of China’s ongoing “illegal activities” in the South China Sea.

Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci said the vessels, BRP Valentin Diaz and BRP Ladislao Diwa, will be used for coastal patrols, humanitarian support, and disaster relief operations.

“They will enhance the Navy’s capacity to defend our maritime nation’s interest and bolster our adaptability [in] addressing various security challenges, from piracy and illicit activities to disaster response and maritime law enforcement,” he said, according to GMA News.

The vessels, formerly known as USS Monsoon and USS Chinook, were initially stationed in Bahrain. The U.S. Navy decommissioned the ships on March 28 and transferred them to the Philippines under the Excess Defense Article program.

The two vessels will be integrated into the Philippine Navy as Alvarez-class patrol ships, which Mr. Adaci said are “essential in maintaining a safe and secure maritime environment” surrounding the country.

The Philippines has intensified its patrols in the South China Sea to counter illegal entry by Chinese vessels into its territorial waters, including resuming joint patrols with the United States and Australia.

Tense Encounter Between Philippine, Chinese Ships

Recently, eight Chinese ships allegedly tried to block two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships—BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan—in Ayungin Shoal (also known as the Second Thomas Shoal).

The PCG said that four Chinese coast guard ships and four maritime militia vessels swarmed around its ships, engaging in “dangerous maneuvers“ while the PCG ships were escorting two boats on a resupply mission to a troop station at the BRP Sierra Madre on Sept. 8.

The PCG didn’t specify the exact timing of the incident. Radio Free Asia said it occurred after 7 a.m. local time, with “a dozen more” radio exchanges and challenges between the Philippine and Chinese ships.

PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the Chinese ships’ actions jeopardized the safety of crew members aboard the PCG vessels and resupply boats. The resupply mission was successful despite the incident, he added.

“The PCG calls upon the [Chinese Coast Guard] and [Chinese Maritime Militia] to immediately cease any illegal activities within the maritime zones of the Philippines,” Mr. Tarriela said in a statement.

A Chinese Coastguard ship appears to block the path of a Philippine Coast Guard ship near the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal, South China Sea, during a resupply mission on Aug. 5, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard via AP

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed concern about China’s “illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing,” as well as “the militarization of reclaimed features in the South China Sea.”

“We must oppose the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea,” he was quoted as saying by the PCG on Sept. 9.

Mr. Marcos has previously said the Philippines would persistently pursue dialogue and diplomatic approaches but added that he would not allow the country to “lose any of its territory.”

Beijing claims much of the South China Sea as its own territory. In 2016, the Hague Tribunal sided with the Philippines in territorial disputes over the South China Sea, but China refused to recognize the ruling.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei have also clashed with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over its claims in the South China Sea.

China’s New ‘10-Dash Line’ Map

Last month, the CCP published its “standard” national map showcasing its extensive claims in the South China Sea. The map now features a “10-dash line” instead of the previous nine dashes used to stake claims on the disputed waters, with an additional dash to the east of self-ruled democratic Taiwan.

It also includes the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin in the Himalayan border, which China controls but India also claims, as well as the Russian territory of Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island.

Five neighboring countries, including the Philippines, have objected to China’s new map, saying that it overlaps with their respective territorial claims. Taiwan also rejected the map and affirmed that it isn’t a part of China.

The Philippines stated that the new map is an attempt by China to legitimize its purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones in the South China Sea. It urged China to abide by the international law.

“The Philippines, therefore, calls on China to act responsibly and abide by its obligations under UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department stated.