The Philippine ship anchored since April in a disputed reef in the South China Sea, to assert Manila’s claims against Beijing and prevent China from taking control, has left the area, Philippine authorities announced Sunday.
“After more than five months at sea, where it fulfilled its sentinel duties (…), the BRP Teresa Magbanua returns to its home port, mission accomplished”the National Maritime Council said in a statement, referring to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel. The Philippine vessel was anchored in the waters of Sabina Atoll to assert Manila’s claims to Beijing and prevent China from taking control of the atoll.
Chinese and Philippine ships collided twice last month near the atoll, which is 140 km west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 km from the nearest Chinese landmass, Hainan Island. There have been numerous skirmishes in recent months between Beijing and Manila, which have been fighting over sovereignty of several uninhabited reefs and islets in the South China Sea.
China claims, for historical reasons, almost all the islets in the South China Sea, in the face of other coastal countries (the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia), with rival claims. Since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos came to power in 2022, Manila has asserted more firmly its claims of sovereignty over certain disputed reefs, in the face of Beijing, which ignores an international court decision according to which its claims have no legal basis.
This week, Philippine and Chinese officials held talks over their maritime disputes, and Beijing reiterated its demand for “immediate withdrawal” of the Philippine ship in the Sabina Shoal. Manila’s response to this request has not been made public.
