The Chinese are significantly escalating their provocations against the Philippines military as they try and resupply troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal:
The Philippines military chief demanded Wednesday that China return several rifles and equipment seized by the Chinese coast guard in a disputed shoal and pay for damage in an assault he likened to an act of piracy in the South China Sea. Chinese personnel on board more than eight motorboats repeatedly rammed then boarded the two Philippine navy inflatable boats Monday to prevent Filipino navy personnel from transferring food and other supplies including firearms to a Philippine territorial outpost in Second Thomas Shoal, which is also claimed by Beijing, according to Philippine officials.
After a scuffle and repeated collisions, the Chinese seized the boats and damaged them with machetes, knives and hammers. They also seized eight M4 rifles, which were packed in cases, navigation equipment and other supplies and wounded a number of Filipino navy personnel, including one who lost his right thumb, two Philippine security officials told The Associated on Tuesday. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the sensitive conflict publicly.
Stars & Stripes
You can read more at the link, but it is easy to imagine how this can escalate because the Philippines military next time will probably come in more forcibly to defend their resupply boats against the Chinese piracy.
This is how a future conflict with China could get started by a nation in the South China Sea sinking a Chinese ship and facing retaliation that draws the U.S. into the conflict:
Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre is seen at the Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, at the South China Sea, April 23, 2023. A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, June 17, 2024, China’s coast guard said. (Aaron Favila/AP)
A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, China’s coast guard said, in the latest flare-up of escalating territorial disputes that have sparked alarm. The coast guard said a Philippine supply ship entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, part of a territory claimed by several nations. The Philippines says the shoal falls within its internationally recognized exclusive economic zone and often cites a 2016 international arbitration ruling invalidating China’s expansive South China Sea claims based on historical grounds.
The Chinese coast guard said the Philippine craft “ignored China’s repeated solemn warnings … and dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.” “The Philippines is entirely responsible for this,” the coast guard said in its statement on the social media platform WeChat. Meanwhile, the Philippine military called the Chinese coast guard’s report “deceptive and misleading,” and said it would “not discuss operational details on the legal humanitarian rotation and resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, which is well within our exclusive economic zone.”
It used the Philippine name for the shoal, where Filipino navy personnel have transported food, medicine and other supplies to a long-grounded warship that has served as Manila’s territorial outpost.
Stars & Stripes
You can read more at the link.
This should be considered a good thing for South Korea as China has repeatedly shown they are willing to use economic retaliation to try and coerce policy changes where the U.S. has not:
South Korea’s exports to the United States exceeded those to China so far this year, data showed Monday, raising the possibility that the U.S. could be the top export destination for South Korea for the first time in 22 years.
Outbound shipments to the U.S. amounted to $53.3 billion from January through May 2024, compared with South Korea’s export value to China of $52.69 billion, according to the data from Statistics Korea and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
If the current trend continues, the U.S. will be the No. 1 export destination for South Korea for the first time since 2002.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
Great win by the South Korean soccer team:
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in scored for his second straight match, as Korea defeated China 1-0 at home Tuesday to conclude the second round in the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lee netted his 10th international goal in front of 64,935 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the final Group C match of the second round in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) World Cup qualification.
Korea had already clinched the top spot in their group, and also a ticket to the third round, after beating Singapore 7-0 last Thursday. China, on the other hand, needed at least a draw to reach the third round without needing help from other teams.
Korea Times
You can read more at the link.
It is a bit surprising that China is not siding with Iran over its territorial dispute with the UAE. Maybe China is trying soften their image by trying to look like some kind of peacemaker especially when they know Iran will not be giving back the islands and there is nothing the UAE can do to get them back:
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speedboats during an exercise in Abu Musa Island on Aug. 2, 2023. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
China held its stance on three disputed islands in the Gulf on Monday despite Tehran’s anger at Beijing for describing the Iran-controlled islands as a matter to be resolved with the United Arab Emirates. In a statement last week, China expressed support for the efforts of the UAE to reach a “peaceful solution” to the issue of the islands — the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
The islands, claimed by the UAE and Iran, have been held by Tehran since 1971 after the withdrawal of British forces from the Gulf. In a rare show of anger toward its biggest trading partner, the Iranian foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the Chinese ambassador to Iran to protest China’s “repeated support” for the UAE’s “baseless claims.” “Considering the strategic cooperation between Tehran and Beijing, it is expected that the Chinese government will revise its stance on this matter,” the Iranian foreign ministry said.
Stars and Stripes
You can read more at the link.
China is continuing to expand their surveillance capabiliites with this new drone:
Japanese fighter jets have scrambled to intercept a Chinese surveillance and strike drone seen operating for the first time north of Okinawa. A Wing Loong-10 was spotted Monday over the East China Sea by members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, according to a statement that day from the country’s Ministry of Defense.
The drone was initially clocked heading east, as if it were traveling from mainland China, the statement said. After flying over waters west of Amami Oshima, the drone appeared to reverse course back toward its homeland. It did not violate Japanese airspace, the statement said.
Stars & Stripes
You can read more at the link.
