Earlier this week, tensions flared in the South China Sea as mainland China hit back at Manila’s latest move near Xianbin Jiao 🌊🚨
According to Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, the Philippines organized a fleet of vessels to illegally enter the lagoon around Xianbin Jiao. He even claimed some Philippine crew threatened Chinese coast guard officers with knives—an act he called 'utterly egregious'. ⚔️🔪
Jiang stressed that China’s maritime law enforcement responded with 'reasonable, lawful, professional, and restrained' measures to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights. In other words, Beijing says it was forced to act to protect its territory. 🛡️
This standoff is the latest in a series of face-offs in the South China Sea, a hotspot where several members have competing claims. For us in South and Southeast Asia, these disputes matter—a stable region means safer seas for trade, fishing, and travel. 🌏⚓
Eyes are now on how Manila might respond and whether ASEAN’s push for peaceful dialogue gains traction. After all, we all share these waters, and cooperation is key to keeping them safe and open. 🤔💬
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
