China - Philippines South China Sea Border Dispute Is Heating Up

 

South China Morning Post: South China Sea: Beijing tells Philippines to remove grounded warship from disputed reef after latest clash in long-running territorial dispute 

Beijing has urged Manila to remove an "illegally" grounded warship from a reef in the disputed Spratly Islands after an incident over the weekend in which Chinese coastguard ships fired water cannons at vessels supplying troops stationed there. 

While Beijing defended the coastguard's actions as "professional and restrained" on Monday, the Philippine government summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest about the incident on the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. 

The disputed reef - also known as the Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines or Renai Shoal in China - has been occupied by the Philippines since 1999 when a second world war-era warship was run aground on the atoll to assert Manila's claims over the area.  

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WNU Editor: The Chinese position is very clear .... China again urges the Philippines to immediately tow away the grounded warship from Ren'ai Reef -- part of China's Nansha Islands (Global Times). 

Update: This can quickly escalate into something bigger .... China-Philippines dispute could escalate into superpower conflict, say analysts (Helen Davidson, The Guardian). 

 China - Philippines South China Sea Border Dispute Is Heating Up

China, Philippines' dispute over grounded warship heats up -- Reuters 

China calls on Philippines to move grounded warship from disputed reef -- Al Jazeera  

Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over water cannon incident in disputed South China Sea -- AP  

International backlash grows after Chinese vessel fires water cannon on Philippine boats -- CNN