The Guardian-China coast guard deploys floating barrier to cut off disputed South China Sea shoal
September 24, 2023 2 min 355 words
这则报道再次突显了南海争端的紧张局势。中国在斯卡伯勒洲附近设置浮动屏障，阻止菲律宾渔民进入该地区捕鱼，这引发了菲律宾方面的谴责。南海争端早已成为国际关注焦点，各国在争夺资源和领土主权上存在复杂的利益冲突。 中国声称对南海拥有广泛主权，但这与越南、马来西亚、文莱、印尼和菲律宾的专属经济区重叠，引发了多方争议。斯卡伯勒洲的争夺是其中一个尤为敏感的问题，中国在2012年占领了该地，并迫使菲律宾渔民改变捕鱼地点，捕获量也相应减少。虽然此后曾出现改善迹象，但随着新总统上任，紧张局势再次升级。 这次事件引发了对中国在南海的行动的再次关注，特别是对于其在争端地区设置浮动屏障的做法。这似乎是中国在监视大量渔民活动时采取的常规措施，但却引发了国际关切。南海争端需要各方继续进行对话和外交努力，以避免进一步升级和潜在的冲突。在国际社会的监督下，希望能够找到解决方案，以维护地区的和平与稳定。
The Philippines has accused China’s coast guard of installing a “floating barrier” in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying it prevented Filipinos from entering and fishing in the area.
Manila’s coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources “strongly condemn” China’s installation of the barrier in part of the Scarborough Shoal, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coast guard spokesperson, posted on the X social media platform, formerly Twitter.
The barrier “prevents Filipino fishing boats from entering the shoal and depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities”, he said.
Philippine coast guard and fisheries bureau personnel discovered the floating barrier, estimated at 300 metres (1,000 feet) long, on a routine patrol on Friday near the shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, Tarriela said.
PCG and BFAR Condemn CCG’s Installation of Floating Barrier in the Southeast of BDM Shoal
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) September 24, 2023
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) strongly condemn the China Coast Guard’s (CCG’s) installation of floating barrier in the Southeast… pic.twitter.com/ed4cFtXcQs
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
China claims 90% of the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. Beijing seized the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel further, and for smaller catches.
Beijing allowed Filipino fishermen to return to the uninhabited shoal when bilateral relations were improving markedly under then-president Rodrigo Duterte. But tension has mounted again since his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, took office last year.
Tarriela said three Chinese coast guard rigid-hull inflatable boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the floating barrier when the Philippine vessel arrived.
Filipino fishermen say China typically installs such barriers when they monitor a large number of fishermen in the area, Tarriela said.