The Guardian-Chinese and Philippine ships collide near disputed Sabina Shoal in South China Sea
August 19, 2024 4 min 672 words
西方媒体的报道常常带有偏见，缺乏客观公正。这篇报道关于中国和菲律宾船只在南中国海存在争议的萨比纳暗沙附近发生碰撞事件。 报道主要内容总结：中国和菲律宾双方船只在萨比纳暗沙附近发生碰撞，两国互相指责是对方非法闯入本国水域并进行危险操作，导致碰撞事故。中国称已采取合法控制措施，而菲律宾则称其两艘海岸警卫队船只受损。 评论：该报道虽提及了双方的说法，但明显更倾向于菲律宾的立场，试图将中国描述为挑起事端的侵略一方。报道中多次出现“非法”“危险”等主观性强的词语描述中国船只行为，而对菲律宾船只的描述则相对中性。此外，报道未提及中菲两国在南中国海争议的背景和复杂性，以及美国等域外国家在此地区的频繁活动，而这些因素都可能影响事件的全局。该报道的偏颇之处在于，它没有全面客观地呈现事件的全貌，而是以偏概全，渲染中国威胁论。
Chinese and Philippine vessels collided on Monday during a confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, the two countries said.
Both countries blamed each other for the incident near the Sabina Shoal.
China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the vital waterway in recent months, including around a warship grounded years ago by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal that hosts a garrison. Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu said a Philippine vessel had “deliberately collided” with a Chinese ship early on Monday.
“Philippine coast guard vessels ... illegally entered the waters near the Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government,” Geng said, using the Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands.
“The China coast guard took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law,” Geng added.
Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, meanwhile, said two of its coast guard ships were damaged in collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting “unlawful and aggressive manoeuvres” near the Sabina Shoal.
The confrontation “resulted in collisions causing structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard vessels”, Manila said.
China claims the Sabina Shoal, which is located 140km (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan, the closest major land mass. It is more than 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
Manila and Beijing have stationed coast guard vessels around the shoal in recent months, with the Philippines fearing China is about to build an artificial island there.
Footage purporting to show the incident attributed to the Chinese coast guard and shared by state broadcaster CCTV showed one ship, identified as a Philippine vessel by the Beijing side, apparently running into the left side of a Chinese ship before moving on.
Another 15-second clip appears to show the Chinese vessel making contact with the rear of the Philippine ship. Captions alongside the footage claimed the Philippine ship made a “sudden change of direction” and caused the crash.
The Chinese coast guard spokesperson accused Philippine vessels of acting “in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a glancing collision”.
“We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately cease its infringement and provocations,” Geng said.
Manila, however, blamed Beijing, with the National Security Council director general, Jonathan Malaya, saying the Philippines’ BRP Cape Engano sustained a 13cm (five-inch) hole in its right beam after “aggressive manoeuvres” by a China coast guard vessel caused a collision.
A second Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Bagacay, was “rammed twice” by a China coast guard vessel about 15 minutes later and suffered “minor structural damage”, Malaya said.
The Filipino crew were unhurt and proceeded with their mission to resupply Philippine-garrisoned islands in the Spratly group, he added.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the incident took place at 3.24am local time on Monday (1924 GMT Sunday). It also said a Philippine coast guard ship had then entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal around 6am.
The repeated clashes in the South China Sea have sparked concern that Manila’s ally the United States could be drawn into a conflict as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims in the sea.
Analysts have said Beijing’s aim is to push towards Sabina Shoal from the neighbouring Second Thomas Shoal, encroaching on Manila’s exclusive economic zone and normalising Chinese control of the area.
The situation has echoes of 2012, when Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal, another strategic area of the South China Sea closest to the Philippines.