MANILA: The Philippines told China it won’t abandon a disputed shoal in the South China Sea after it accused China’s coast guard of using water cannons and “dangerous” moves to prevent Manila from sending supplies to its troops occupying the reef.
Likening the August 5 incident to a “David vs Goliath situation”, Jonathan Malaya, a senior Philippine National Security Council official, said China’s increased presence at the Second Thomas Shoal would not deter the Philippines’ resolve to protect its position there.
He dismissed China’s call for Manila to remove its warship from the atoll, which was intentionally grounded in 1999 to reinforce the Philippines’ sovereignty claims. The Philippine government summoned China’s ambassador to lodge a diplomatic protest.
The US, the EU, Australia and Japan expressed support for the Philippines.