The Philippines condemned “in strongest terms” the actions of three Chinese Coast Guard vessels which blocked and used water cannons on two Manila supply boats on their way to a Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China Sea, its top diplomat said on Thursday, APA reports quoting Reuters.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said no one was hurt during the Nov 16 incident at the Second Thomas Shoal but the Philippines boats, which were transporting food supplies to military personnel based there had to abort their mission.
“The acts of the Chinese Coast Guard are illegal,” Locsin said in a statement, reminding China that a public vessel is covered by the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty.
Locsin said he had conveyed “in the strongest terms” to the Chinese Ambassador to Manila “our outrage, condemnation and protest of the incident.”
Locsin warned Beijing’s “failure to exercise self restraint threatens the special relationship” between the two countries.
