Tense naval stand-off in the South China Sea

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  • Tense naval stand-off in the South China Sea
    http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/apr2012/phil-a13.shtml

    Inextricable différend sur les limites de souveraineté en mer de Chine méridionale

    Tense naval stand-off in the South China Sea
    By Joseph Santolan
    13 April 2012

    A tense standoff between Philippine naval vessels and Chinese marine surveillance ships is currently unfolding in the South China Sea.

    On April 10, the Philippine naval flagship Gregorio del Pilar encountered and boarded eight Chinese fishing vessels in the u-shaped lagoon of the Scarborough shoal, in disputed waters. The shoal is 124 nautical miles west of the coast of the northern Philippine island of Luzon. According to a press release issued by the Philippine government, the fishing boats contained coral, giant clams and live sharks collected from the region.

    Claiming that the Chinese fishermen were operating illegally in Philippine waters, the Philippine navy prepared to arrest them. Two Chinese surveillance ships, Zhonggou Haijian 75 and Zhonggou Haijian 84, sailed into the mouth of the shoal, interposing themselves between the Philippine ship and the fishing boats. One of the Chinese ships radioed to the Philippine gunboat that these were Chinese waters and that the Philippine navy should withdraw. The captain of Gregorio del Pilar answered that the shoal was Philippine territory.

    Chine Philippine Mer de Chine méridionale Frontières Limites