Reuters-Philippines condemns Chinese floating barrier in South China Sea
September 24, 2023 3 min 434 words
这则报道涉及到中国在南中国海一处争议领土上安装所谓的“浮动屏障”，引发了菲律宾的强烈谴责。这一事件再次凸显了南中国海地区的紧张局势和领土争端。 菲律宾指责中国海岸警卫队在南中国海的一处争议领土上设置了一道“浮动屏障”，阻止了菲律宾渔民进入该区域捕鱼。这一行动被菲律宾的海岸警卫队和渔业与水产资源局强烈谴责，他们认为这一屏障剥夺了菲律宾渔民的捕鱼和谋生活动的权利。 这一领土争端涉及到斯卡伯勒沙洲，该地区一直备受争议。中国声称拥有南中国海90%的领土，与越南、马来西亚、文莱、印尼和菲律宾的专属经济区重叠。斯卡伯勒沙洲在2012年被中国占领，迫使菲律宾渔民不得不前往更远的地方寻找更少的捕鱼资源。虽然在前总统杜特尔特时期，中菲关系有所改善，中国允许菲律宾渔民返回这片无人居住的沙洲，但自从其继任者马科斯上台以来，紧张局势再度升级。 在这次事件中，菲律宾的海岸警卫队和渔业局人员在例行巡逻中发现了估计长达300米（1,000英尺）的浮动屏障。当菲律宾船只抵达时，有三艘中国海岸警卫队刚性充气艇和一艘中国海上民兵服务船安装了这道屏障。菲律宾渔民表示，中国通常会在他们监视该地区的大量渔民时安装这样的屏障。 总的来说，这则报道凸显了南中国海争端的复杂性和敏感性，以及在地区国家之间寻求解决方案的紧迫性。这一事件可能会导致更多的外交和地缘政治紧张局势，需要各方保持克制和寻求通过对话解决争端。
The Philippines on Sunday 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 blocking fishermen from the shoal was depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities", he said.
"The (Philippine Coast Guard) will continue to work closely with all concerned government agencies to address these challenges, uphold our maritime rights and protect our maritime domains," Tarriela said.
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 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.
Philippine coast guard and fisheries bureau personnel discovered the floating barrier, estimated at 300 m (1,000 feet) long, on a routine patrol on Friday near the shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, Tarriela said.
Three Chinese coast guard rigid-hull inflatable boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the barrier when the Philippine vessel arrived, he said.
Filipino fishermen say China typically installs such barriers when they monitor a large number of fishermen in the area, Tarriela said.
The Chinese boats issued 15 radio challenges and accused the Philippine ship and fishermen of violating international and China's laws, before moving away "upon realizing the presence of media personnel onboard the (Filipino) vessel", he said.