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Philippines accuses Chinese coast guard of blocking law enforcement mission near Thitu
Philippine authorities ended the pursuit for safety reasons and returned to Thitu
Reuters, Manila
Published: 04 Oct 2026, 07:43 PM
Photo: Collected
The Philippine Coast Guard said on Sunday Chinese vessels obstructed a Philippine law enforcement operation against a foreign fishing vessel suspected of dynamite fishing near the Manila-held Thitu Island in the South China Sea.
It described the presence of
a Chinese navy helicopter as an "unnecessary act of intimidation".
It was the latest in a series of recent maritime confrontations between Manila
and Beijing.
The operation involved
personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Navy and
Philippine National Police Maritime Group responding to a report of suspected
blast fishing near Sandy Cays 2 and 3, about three nautical miles west of
Thitu Island, known in the Philippines as Pag-asa.
The PCG said two China Coast
Guard vessels sounded their horns, radio-challenged the Philippine team and
later shadowed and blocked its boats. A People's Liberation Army Navy
helicopter also circled above the Philippine personnel four times.
The Philippine team ordered
the foreign fishing vessel to stop and radioed it several times, but the vessel
ignored the orders and sailed southwest toward Subi Reef, one of seven
artificial islands China has built in the Spratlys to support its sovereignty
claims.
Philippine authorities ended
the pursuit for safety reasons and returned to Thitu.
The PCG said the China Coast
Guard had "no law enforcement authority" in the territorial sea of
Thitu and said its actions "made it easier for a suspected violator to
escape". It also rejected any Chinese claim that its vessels had been
expelled from the area.
At just 37 hectares (0.14
square miles), the coral-fringed Thitu is the largest and most prized of the
nine Philippines-held features in the Spratly archipelago, located 450 km (280
miles) from the mainland.
Separately, the military
said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet repeatedly approached and manoeuvred close to
a Philippine patrol aircraft over the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Saturday,
creating an aviation safety risk.
The Armed Forces of the
Philippines said the incident was part of a "recurring pattern of unsafe
and coercive behaviour" against Philippine vessels and aircraft
conducting lawful operations.
The Chinese Embassy in
Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the weekend
incidents.