00:00 The Philippines summoned China's envoy on Monday to protest against aggressive actions
00:09 in the South China Sea at the weekend as Manila's defence minister dared Beijing to bolster
00:14 its vast sovereignty claims by taking them to international arbitration.
00:18 The Philippine foreign ministry has accused China's coast guard of deploying water cannon
00:22 against civilian boat supplying troops on Saturday at the second Thomas Shool.
00:27 This action, according to the ministry, resulted in damage to the boat and injuries to some
00:31 crew members, marking the latest in a series of confrontations over the past year.
00:35 In a strongly worded statement, the Philippine foreign ministry condemned China's ongoing
00:39 interference with the country's lawful activities within its exclusive economic zone, deeming
00:43 it unacceptable.
00:44 The statement further announced the summoning of the charged affairs of Chinese embassy
00:48 and the lodging of a diplomatic protest in Beijing.
00:51 Asserting the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction, the ministry demanded the
00:54 withdrawal of Chinese vessels from the area.
00:57 On Saturday, China's coast guard asserted that it took necessary actions against Philippine
01:02 vessels it deemed to be intruding in its territorial waters.
01:05 China's expansive claim over the South China Sea-encompassing areas such as the second
01:09 Thomas Shool clashes with the Philippines' own exclusive economic zone extending 200
01:13 miles from its shores.
01:15 The Philippines deliberately grounded an old warship at the Shool in 1999 to reinforce
01:19 its territorial assertions and has maintained a small military presence there since.
01:24 Despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which dismissed China's claims
01:28 in a case initiated by Manila, China has adamantly refused to acknowledge the ruling, continuing
01:33 to deploy numerous coast guard vessels across the South China Sea.
01:36 In response to the recent incident, Philippine security officials convened a high-level meeting
01:40 on Monday to formulate recommendations for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on navigating
01:44 the dispute.
01:45 Since assuming office in 2002, Marcos has adopted a firm stance against what he perceives
01:49 as Chinese aggression, resisting Beijing's demands to avoid contested territories.
01:54 These tensions arise amidst Marcos' efforts to strengthen ties with the US, a defence
01:58 treaty ally which includes proposals for expanded access to military bases and joint air and
02:03 sea patrols.
02:04 These developments have drawn suspicion from China, exacerbating the already strained relations
02:08 between the two nations.
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