China says it drove off Philippine ships that ‘trespassed’ in disputed Spratly Islands

Manila has accused Beijing of ‘aggressive’ behaviour in the latest incident in the long-running South China Sea dispute

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In this image released by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese boat sails around Sandy Cay. Photo: AP

Published: 5:27pm, 25 Jan 2025Updated: 9:27pm, 25 Jan 2025

China said it drove off two Philippine government ships that tried to “illegally land” on a disputed reef in the South China Sea on Friday.

According to the Chinese coastguard, the ships “trespassed” into waters near Sandy Cay in the Spratly Islands to collect sand samples and had been “intercepted, controlled and warned off … in accordance with the law”.

“China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands … and adjacent waters,” coastguard spokesman Liu Dejun said on Saturday, using China’s name for the Spratly Islands.

“The China Coast Guard will continue to lawfully carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction, resolutely safeguarding the nation’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights,” he added.

The Chinese statement came hours after the Philippines accused China of “aggressive manoeuvres” against two ships from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that were carrying out “a marine scientific survey”.

“As a result of this continuous harassment and the disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces, BFAR and PCG have regrettably suspended their survey operations,” Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela posted on social media.