IndiaTheNews Newsroom | Philippines breaks Chinese barrier, tension increases again in South China Sea, read everything you need to know

Tension has arisen again between the Philippines and China. Philippines They have removed a floating barrier imposed by China’s coast guard to prevent fishing boats from entering a disputed area in the South China Sea, the coast guard said on Monday (Sept 26). A 300-meter-long barrier was installed at the entrance to the lagoon at Scarborough Shoal, located about 200 km from the Philippines. The country claimed that the blockade was a violation of international law and its sovereignty.

The Philippines said on Monday it had launched a “special operation” to remove a “floating barrier” imposed by China at a key fishing spot in an area of ​​the South China Sea that both countries claim. A day earlier, the Manila Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources had “strongly condemned” the move and accused the Chinese coast guard of preventing Filipinos from entering and fishing in the area.

Tension increases again in South China Sea

Philippines The coast guard said Monday it has removed a floating barrier imposed by China’s coast guard to prevent Filipino fishing boats from entering a disputed area in the South China Sea. A 300-meter-long barrier was installed at the entrance to the lagoon at Scarborough Shoal, located about 200 km from the Philippines. The country claimed that the blockade was a violation of international law and its sovereignty.

Philippines Of About ‘Special Campaign’

Philippines The coast guard said it lifted the temporary cordon on the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Special Task Force on the South China Sea. Manila had earlier shared photos of the Chinese coast guard monitoring a long, ball-buoy barrier near Scarborough Shoal, a rocky area about 200 kilometers from the Philippines.

Philippines The coast guard said the site has been at the center of sporadic clashes over sovereignty and fishing rights. The obstruction poses a threat to navigation, which is a clear violation of international law. It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fishermen. It described the shoal as “an integral part of the Philippine national territory.”

What has China said on the incident?

Earlier on Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry defended its coast guard’s action as “necessary measures” after a Philippine bureau of fisheries vessel “intruded” into its waters on Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, “The Chinese coast guard has taken necessary measures in accordance with law to intercept and drive away Philippine vessels, and related operations are subject to professional restraint.”

Debate on Shoal

Control over the disputed shoal has been a sensitive issue for China after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016. Manila then took legal action against China’s claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea, which the court said had no basis under international law.

However, China has refused to recognize this historic decision. On Monday, Beijing reiterated its claim and said the shoal, which it calls Huangyan Island, was “China’s inherent territory” over which it had undisputed sovereignty. It is also worth noting that although the tribunal did not rule on sovereignty over the shoal, the site lies within the Philippines’ 322-kilometre exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and has previously stated that the area is a traditional fishing ground for many countries. The place is.