TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday (Sept. 10) called for Taiwan and the Philippines to support one another in the face of ongoing threats and unlawful territorial claims from China in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
The statement was shared in a tweet, which highlighted an incident on Friday (Sept. 8) that involved the Chinese Coast Guard provoking Philippine Coast Guard vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal, one of the Spratly Islands. MOFA said that by confronting such behavior from the Chinese military, Taiwan and the Philippines are “stronger together.”
While #Taiwan was busy dealing with #PLAAF intrusions involving 17 sorties, #CCG & its maritime militia were pulling this provocative, unprofessional & unsafe stunt to back up its unlawful territorial claim. TW & PH should support each other as we’re #StrongerTogether. 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 JW https://t.co/4g6eZACcQi
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 (@MOFA_Taiwan) September 10, 2023
The confrontation between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Chinese Coast Guard occurred on Friday morning as the Philippine forces were conducting a supply mission to marines stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre. The former US Navy ship was intentionally run aground on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to serve as a military outpost for the Philippines.
Despite interference from the Chinese vessels, the Philippines forces successfully completed the resupply mission, reported Reuters. The Philippine ships faced aggressive maneuvers from two Chinese Coast Guard ships and 10 maritime militia vessels, despite the shoal being within their own country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Friday marked the second successful operation to resupply the BRP Sierra Madre since August 22. An earlier mission on Aug. 5 was unsuccessful after the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons to turn away Philippine forces.
On the same day of the confrontation, the Philippines and Australia agreed to strengthen their alliance to reject China’s unlawful claims and aggressive behavior in the region, reported AP. In addition, the Philippine Coast Guard warned that the actions of the Chinese vessels were “illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing” to relations between the two countries.
On Saturday, Col. Medel Aguilar, a spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), rebuked the Chinese Coast Guard. Aguilar said China’s presence in the area is “misplaced” and their actions amount to “bullying,” reported Philstar.
In its statement on Sunday, Taiwan’s MOFA noted that Taiwan also regularly deals with harassment from Chinese military forces, noting that “17 sorties” involving Chinese military aircraft had occurred over the weekend.
In late June 2023, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) called for greater security cooperation between Taiwanese and Philippine forces, especially in the South China Sea. However, several weeks later, Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro rejected the notion, stating that there was a “zero possibility” of direct military cooperation between the two countries.
