Philippines seeks $1m in damages from China over South China Sea clash

Clash left eight Filipino sailors injured and a pair of rubber boats damaged

The Philippines has demanded $1m (£800,000) in damages from China over a clash in the South China Sea that left eight Filipino sailors injured last month, even as diplomats of the two countries met to ease tensions.

One of the sailors lost a finger in the clash on 17 June, Philippines chief of staff, General Romeo S Brawner Jr, said.

The Philippines has accused the Chinese coast guard of deploying motorboats to block and repeatedly ram a pair of Filipino rubber boats, using machetes, knives and hammers to damage the naval boats, and seizing eight M4 rifles packed in cases.

The Chinese coast guard has accused the Philippine navy of sparking the confrontation by sailing one of its boats dangerously close to a Chinese vessel.

General Brawner said the compensation demanded by his country was only for damage to its property and did not cover the injury to the sailor who lost his finger.

He previously demanded that China return the rifles and equipment seized during the assault, comparing it to a pirate-like attack.

General Romeo Brawner Jr pins a medal on a sailor in Palawan province of Philippines on 19 June 2024 (Armed Forces of the Philippines)

Amid rising bilateral tensions, Chinese and Filipino diplomats held a meeting on Tuesday and “affirmed their commitment to deescalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions”.

There was no mention of an agreement to try to prevent a repeat of the chaotic 17 June clash at Second Thomas Shoal, which has emerged as the most dangerous flashpoint in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Philippine foreign undersecretary Theresa Lazaro told Chinese vice foreign minister Chen Xiaodong “that the Philippines will be relentless in protecting its interests and upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction” in the South China Sea.

They did, however, sign an agreement to improve communications during emergencies at sea and agreed to continue talks on enhancing ties between their coast guards.

In this photo provided by the Philippine military, Chinese coast guards hold an axe as they approach Filipino troops in the Second Thomas Shoal

A similar agreement signed in January did not prevent confrontations between Philippine and Chinese coast guards.

Apart from the Philippines and China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have all made overlapping claims to the strategic sea and have reported sporadic incidents of clashes with Chinese forces.