Philippines lodges 43rd protest over clashes with Chinese coast guard near Escoda Shoal

The Philippines has lodged another diplomatic protest against China following repeated collisions between Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

This is the 43rd note verbale sent by the Philippine government to Beijing, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

On August 25, a CCG vessel used water cannons against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship near Escoda Shoal, while on August 19, Chinese Coast Guard vessels collided with Philippine Coast Guard ships delivering supplies to Patag and Lawak Islands.

Tensions remain high as China continues its expansive claims in the South China Sea, overlapping with territorial claims by other nations including Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

In July, the Philippines and China struck a provisional arrangement aimed at de-escalating tensions near Ayungin Shoal but recent incidents suggest this agreement may not extend to other contested waters.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China's claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has not recognized.