The Stratbase ADR Institute has strongly condemned a recent act of aggression by China in the West Philippine Sea, following an October 12 incident where a China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship and fired water cannons at its crew. The attack occurred near the Kalayaan Island Group while the BFAR was conducting humanitarian operations within Philippine waters.
This follows a similar confrontation on September 16 near Bajo de Masinloc, where Chinese actions injured a Filipino crew member and damaged Philippine assets.
Stratbase warned that the increasing frequency and severity of these incidents reveal a dangerous escalation and highlight China’s continued disregard for international law, including the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping maritime claims.
Calling for decisive action, the institute urged the Philippine government to defend the country’s sovereign rights, hold China accountable, strengthen defense partnerships, and accelerate the modernization of its armed forces. It also emphasized the importance of international support in upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and preserving the rules-based international order.
