Taiwan, 7 countries condemn China's water cannon use vs Philippine research vessel

MANILA, Philippines, May 24 ------ At least seven countries and the self-ruled island of Taiwan have condemned the China Coast Guard after it sideswiped and water-cannoned one of two Philippine fisheries vessels conducting research near Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) this week. 

The May 21 incident in Philippine territorial waters has drawn sharp international criticism, with Taiwan, Japan, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand and the European Union swiftly denouncing China's actions as troubling for regional peace and the international rules-based order in separate statements. China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 21559 twice deployed water cannons and sideswiped the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday, while it was in the vicinity of Pag-asa Cay 2 for a research mission, the bureau said in a statement on Thursday.  

BRP Datu Sanday and BRP Datu Pagbuaya were conducting routine sampling and data collection for food security, fisheries management and marine environmental protection programs when they faced hostilities from Chinese vessels, according to a statement by the Philippines' National Maritime Council on Friday. CCG vessel 21559 was also "with CC 5103 and two maritime militia vessels as supporting units," the maritime council said.  

Video footage from BRP Datu Sanday captured Philippine personnel radioing the Chinese vessel — even as it sideswiped them: "Your unsafe maneuvers are in clear violation of your obligations for safe conduct under the 1972 international convention for preventing collisions." 

Source: philstar.com