Chinese coast guard seizes arms from Philippine navy boats, Manila says

The Philippine Navy said on Wednesday (June 19) that the Chinese Coast Guard seized weapons from some boats in the South China Sea this week.

“The Chinese Coast Guard boarded our boats illegally [bateaux pneumatiques à coque rigide] » And “Recovered some weapons”The head of the Philippines’ Western Command, Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres, noted that Filipino sailors were ordered not to use these weapons during the second Thomas Shoal confrontation last Monday.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Navy announced that one of its sailors was seriously injured in a collision with a Chinese coast guard boat earlier in the day. “Surely Discharged” and had received “Prompt Medical Treatment”. Rear Admiral Torres confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard said the sailor lost his thumb in the collision. “intentionally attacked” Philippine Boats.

Philippine Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brauner, who visited the wounded soldier on Wednesday, assured that the Chinese were armed with swords, spears and machetes.

“Bare hand” is the answer

“This is the first time we have seen the Chinese Coast Guard wearing polos [un type de machette à un seul tranchant], spears and knives. Our troops were having none of this and we fought back with our hands.he told reporters.

These incidents between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard have multiplied in recent weeks. PRP Sierra MadreA warship was deliberately stranded on the atoll with the intention of turning it into an outpost to assert their claims to sovereignty against China, which claims the area.

The second Thomas Atoll is about 200 kilometers from the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,000 kilometers from the nearest large Chinese island of Hainan.

The Chinese coast guard said Monday that a Philippine supply ship was in the area “Ignored China’s Several Strong Warnings” and should “Control measures taken” against him “according to law”. boat “Approached (…) Chinese ship collided unprofessionally »Beijing promised.