South -Chinese Sea Convoy challenges the territorial claims of Beijing

A coalition of Filipino citizens has started his third mission to defy China’s territorial claims in the South Chinese Sea.

While the Atin Ito Coalition – Tagalog for “This is our” – a possible challenge of China’s assertive coast guard, the volunteers, the volunteers tried to send a “message of peace and unit”, spokesperson Rafaela David told the local media on Monday.

Why it matters

China claims sovereignty over about 90 percent of the South Chinese Sea, with reference to ‘historical rights’, despite the pronunciation of a based arbitration pair of a based arbitral grandstand of 2016 that rejects the claims as incompatible with the maritime legislation.

The extensive movements of China in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines have been received with pushback. The result was spiral tensions and dramatic impasse between the government forces of the countries, which expresses concern about a potential conflict that could cause mutual defense of the Philippines with the United States.

Newsweek the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reached by e -mail for comment.

What to know

More than 150 volunteers, including activists, fishermen, musicians and civilian and church leaders-sailing early on Tuesday morning to the Philippines-controlled island of Thitu as part of a convoy focused on the civil ship Captain Felix -Father.

Tensions about Thitu, the only inhabited function in the Spratly Islands archipelago and the home base of a modest military outpost, flared up again in recent days.

Last week, the Chinese coastguard in the vicinity of blocking maneuvers and used his water cannon in nearby waters while trying to ride a Filipino fishing agency ship that Manila said it was a scientific mission.

The group said it was intended to distribute supplies such as food, medicines and fuel to local fishermen and service stationers stationed in the garrison. Performers will also hold a concert on the island as a message of solidarity.

“We not only claim territory. We claim that ordinary Filipinos have an interest here,” David told reporters before departure from Manila on Monday. “We will not be intimidated.”

The Filipino Coast Guard said it is one of the largest patrol ships, the BRP has deployed Melchora AquinoTogether with the smaller BRP Malapascuaaround the Felix -Father.

From 3 p.m. local time, two Chinese coastguard ships were observed “shadow” the civil convoy about 66 miles for the north coast of the province of Palawan, spokesperson for the Filipino coast guard Jay Tarriela wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Allegedly, the Chinese ships have published radio challenges that claim the claim of China and ‘domestic and international law’ under dilation, while rejecting the 2016 arbitral decision.

“In response to the unauthorized patrol of the Chinese Coast Guard, Filipino coastguard ships have initiated radio communication to challenge [Chinese coast guard vessel] 3306’s claim to operate under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China, “said Tarriela.

What people say

Behind Admiraal Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesperson for the Filipino Marine, told Newsweek: “We are not speculating about the actions of an opponent. Nevertheless, we are ready to respond to a threat that the Atin ITO -Konvooi can encounter.”

The Chinese embassy in the Philippines, in a statement: “Nansha Qundao, including Tiexian Jiao, has always been China’s territory. China has indisputable sovereignty about Nansha Qundao [the Spratly Island group] And his adjacent waters.

What happens afterwards

The Atin ITO participants are planned to start their return trip to Manila on Friday.