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By Micah McCartney
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A Chinese warship locked its fire-control radar onto a Philippine navy vessel during a patrol in contested waters of the South China Sea, Manila said Friday, calling the move “alarming.”
Why It Matters
China lays claim to most of the South China Sea, an energy-rich waterway that carries roughly one-third of global shipping, citing what it describes as historical rights, despite a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal that rejected those claims.
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The dispute has put Beijing at odds with several neighbors, including the Philippines. The expanding presence of Chinese maritime forces within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has led to periodic confrontations and prompted the U.S. treaty ally to increase military spending and deepen defense ties with Washington and other regional partners.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment.
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What To Know
The incident occurred on March 7, when the Philippine Navy’s guided-missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar was on patrol near Sabina Shoal, an atoll within the Philippines’ EEZ about 93 miles west of Palawan and more than 600 miles from China.
“This was an alarming and provocative action that created unnecessary risk and could have led to misinterpretation and misunderstanding at sea,” the Philippine military said in a statement. “While the situation did not further escalate, the incident underscores the need for all states to act with restraint and professionalism at sea.”
Fire-control radar is a precision targeting system used to track objects and guide weapons, and locking it onto another vessel is typically seen as a serious escalation.
\In a separate incident on Friday, the Philippines accused Chinese forces of firing flares near a Philippine coast guard aircraft conducting a maritime patrol near Mischief Reef, an artificial island built and militarized by China within the Philippines’ EEZ.
What People Are Saying
Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela, who was onboard the patrol plane, told reporters the incident was dangerous “because we cannot really expect how far the flares can reach the aircraft," ABS-CBN reported.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said during a regular press briefing Thursday that China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the South China Sea islands Beijing claims. He accused the Philippine coast guard of recent "provocations" and playing the "victim's narrative."
What Happens Next
The dispute is expected to remain a source of tension between Beijing and Manila, with incidents at sea likely to continue as both sides assert their claims.
The standoff has already prompted the Philippines to increase defense spending and expand security cooperation with the United States and other regional partners.
Next month, U.S. and Philippine forces are set to hold their annual Balikatan exercises, expected to include expanded joint maritime operations and scenarios focused on defending coastal areas and critical infrastructure.
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