Philippines Urged to Take Action Beyond Protests on China Sea President Ferdinand Marcos

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos emphasized on Thursday the necessity for the Philippines to escalate its response to Beijing's "illegal actions" in the South China Sea. Last week, video footage captured Chinese coast guard soldiers wielding knives, rods, and an axe as they surrounded and boarded three Filipino naval vessels. The incident occurred during an attempt by Manila to resupply soldiers stationed aboard a grounded warship at Second Thomas Shoal.

This event marked the latest and most severe in a series of increasingly violent encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels. It underscores Beijing's intensified efforts to assert control over nearly the entire strategically vital waterway.

"We have filed over a hundred protests, we have already made a similar number of demarches," Marcos stated to reporters. "We have to do more than just that," he added, without specifying additional steps the Philippines might take.

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The clashes have raised concerns about potential U.S. involvement, as Washington is bound by a 1951 mutual defense pact to aid Manila in the event of an "armed attack" on its forces or vessels in the Pacific theater. Manila also expressed concerns about Chinese actions against the warship BRP Sierra Madre, grounded intentionally in 1999 to reinforce Philippine claims in the area. A small Filipino marine garrison stationed aboard relies on frequent resupply for survival.

Marcos echoed senior security aides' assessment that the June 17 clash near the grounded warship did not constitute an armed attack. "It's not armed. There was no gunshot. They did not point a gun at us, but it was a deliberate action to stop our people," Marcos clarified. "So, although there were no arms involved, nonetheless, it is still a deliberate and essentially illegal action taken by Chinese forces."

During the incident, a Filipino soldier lost a finger, and Manila accused the Chinese coast guard of theft and damage to three boats, as well as navigational and communication equipment.

Beijing contended that its coast guard acted "professionally and with restraint" and blamed Manila for the clash. Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo announced on Wednesday that Manila had lodged a diplomatic protest. He also indicated plans to convene a meeting with Beijing early next month specifically to address recent incidents.

Second Thomas Shoal lies approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and over 1,000 kilometers from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan Island. China has deployed coast guard and other vessels to patrol the waters around the shoal and has converted several reefs into artificial militarized islands.