The China Coast Guard issued a statement on Monday evening, saying that at around 9 a.m. on Monday, a small Chinese coast guard patrol boat was conducting a routine patrol near China's Ren'ai Reef when the Philippines deployed two rubber boats. Ignoring China's repeated clear warnings, the Filipino vessels rapidly approached and surrounded the Chinese patrol boat in a dangerous manner. During this period, Filipino personnel were the first to “maliciously attack” Chinese law enforcement officers using oars, sticks, and other tools.
The statement said that China took measures in accordance with laws and regulations, such as issuing warnings via loudspeaker, maneuvering evasively, and implementing proportional countermeasures to stabilize the situation on the scene, “maximizing restraint and rationality.”
The statement added that after the incident, “the Filipino side distorted facts and counter-accused the Chinese side, which is purely turning black into white. We demand that the Philippine side immediately stop infringement, provocation, and false hype.”
The China Coast Guard will continue to lawfully conduct rights protection and law enforcement activities in the waters of the Spratly Islands, including Ren'ai Reef, resolutely safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
On the other hand, the Philippine military on Monday accused the China Coast Guard of injuring people with sticks at Ren'ai Shoal in the South China Sea.
The Philippine military's statement said that China Coast Guard Vessel No. 21560 dispatched an 8-person rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which “illegally approached” the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre, intentionally run aground at Ren'ai Shoal, and circled at close range to take photos and videos.
The Philippine military stated that on Monday two rubber boats were dispatched in a “calm and non-confrontational manner” to drive away the Chinese coast guard RHIB, but Chinese personnel struck a Philippine Navy serviceman on the head with a wooden stick, causing injury, and damaged the Philippine military’s rubber boat.
The BRP Sierra Madre is an old military ship that the Philippines deliberately ran aground at Ren'ai Shoal in 1999 to serve as a forward post in asserting sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, and has long stationed troops there. China has continuously demanded that the Philippines tow away this vessel, but the Philippine side has refused to withdraw and has repeatedly accused China of obstructing supply missions.