The Philippines has deployed a new coast guard ship to the Sabina Shoal, despite China's demands for its withdrawal.
The Philippines' actions were condemned by China's coast guard as a grave violation of its territorial sovereignty.
- A new vessel is being sent to Sabina Shoal to replace the coast guard ship Teresa Magbanua, which has returned to port.
- The withdrawal of Teresa Magbanua was demanded by China, as it was "illegally stranded" at Sabina Shoal.
- The Philippines' actions were condemned by China's coast guard as a grave violation of its territorial sovereignty.
The Philippines announced that it would send a ship to Sabina Shoal to replace a coast guard vessel that returned to port on Sunday after a five-month deployment, in a move that is likely to anger China.
The Philippines was requested by Beijing to remove the 318-foot coast guard vessel Teresa Magbanua, which Beijing claims is "illegally stranded" at the atoll and is part of its broader claim to nearly the entire South China Sea.
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, stated on Sunday that Manila's "withdrawal" of its ship has seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty.
The Philippine Coast Guard and National Maritime Council (NMC) announced that Teresa Magbanua, which was deployed at Sabina Shoal to monitor suspected small-scale land reclamation activities by China, has returned to port as its mission has been accomplished. An immediate replacement will take over, according to NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez, who cited an order from the Philippine Coast Guard chief. "Definitely, we will keep our presence there," Lopez added.
The Xianbin Reef, also known as the Escoda Shoal, is located 93 miles west of Palawan, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
The contested waterway has become a flashpoint due to Teresa Magbanua's presence, which has angered Beijing.
The Philippines and China have traded accusations of intentional ramming of each other's vessels near Sabina last month, following a pact on resupply missions to a beached Filipino naval ship in the Second Thomas Shoal.
The return of Teresa Magbanua was crucial for the medical needs of its crew and to undergo repairs, and once it has been resupplied and repaired, it will resume its mission, along with other coast guard and military assets "as defenders of our sovereignty," as stated by Lucas Bersamin, executive secretary and NMC chairman.
Last week, high-level talks between Manila and Beijing in China resulted in the Philippines reaffirming its stance on Sabina and China reiterating its demand for the vessel's withdrawal.
The Chinese coast guard will continue to enforce the law and protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the waters under Beijing's jurisdiction.
Most of the South China Sea is claimed by China as its sovereign territory, encroaching on the maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
In 2016, the Hague arbitration tribunal invalidated China's extensive and ancient claims, a verdict that Beijing refuses to accept.
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