Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

A Philippine ship recently inspected a Chinese Coast Guard vessel near Huanyang Island (Scarborough Reef), a site that has long been at the center of a territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea, Azernews reports.

According to reports, the Philippine ship deliberately rammed the Chinese Coast Guard vessel, despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side. Beijing condemned the incident as a provocation, accusing Manila of misleading the international community about the conflict between the two countries' ships in the region.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have deteriorated significantly since Ferdinand Marcos became president of the Philippines in 2022. The growing military cooperation between the Philippines and the United States in recent years has further heightened China's concerns over its influence in the South China Sea.

It is important to note that several islands in the South China Sea, where significant hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered, have been at the heart of territorial disputes and periodic clashes involving China, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines for many years. The region's rich underwater resources, including oil and natural gas, have made the South China Sea a key flashpoint for international tensions.

In addition to the territorial disputes, the South China Sea plays a crucial role in global trade, with trillions of dollars' worth of goods passing through its waters each year. The region's strategic importance has led to heightened military activities by both regional powers and external players like the United States. As the standoff between the Philippines and China continues to intensify, the situation remains a critical area of geopolitical concern in the Asia-Pacific.