The Philippines called on China on Wednesday to avoid actions that endanger sailors and ships in the South China Sea, saying peace cannot be achieved if China's words do not match its behavior in disputed waters.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry denounced China's actions as “illegal and aggressive” during a routine resupply mission on June 17, which the Philippine military said seriously injured a sailor and damaged Manila ships.
“The Ministry has strived to rebuild a conducive environment for dialogue and consultations with China on the South China Sea,” the ministry said in a statement.
“This cannot be achieved if China’s words do not match its actions in the waters.”
A Filipino sailor was seriously injured after what his military described as an “intentional high-speed collision” by the Chinese Coast Guard on Tuesday aimed at disrupting a resupply mission for troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal.
The Chinese Coast Guard disputed this statement, saying that the Manila ship deliberately and dangerously approached a Chinese ship in an unprofessional manner, forcing it to take control measures.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Thomas Sholl II Sea, where the Philippines retains the warship Sierra Madre, which was stranded in 1999 to bolster its sovereignty claims, with a small crew.
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