Economics
China-Philippines Sea Feud Shifts to Another Disputed Atoll
- Manila conveys displeasure to China, top diplomat says
- Beijing calls on Manila to withdraw ship in Sabina Shoal
A China Coast Guard ship and Philippine Coast Guard ship, during a supply mission to Sabina Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Photographer: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent days have opened a new flashpoint in the South China Sea, shortly after the two nations struck a deal to ease tensions at another hot spot.
At the center of the latest clashes is Sabina Shoal, a coral atoll in the contested Spratly islands where the Philippines had deployed one of its biggest coast guard vessels since mid-April, a move China has described as illegal. Sabina is closer to the Philippine coast compared to the earlier flashpoint — the Second Thomas Shoal, giving Manila cause for concern.