A Philippine supply ship dangerously approaches a Chinese vessel in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard

Photos obtained by the Global Times exclusively from the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Wednesday show the CCG's interception, boarding, inspection and expelling of Philippine vessels when they illegally intruded into waters near China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) in the South China Sea on Monday.

The CCG's law enforcement measures aimed at intercepting illegal Philippine supplies and did not feature direct measures against Philippine personnel, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday responding to Philippine claims that the CCG confiscated Philippine guns during the incident.

The CCG's control measures showed that the Philippines will not reach its goal of permanently occupying Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, experts said, urging Philippine authorities to keep a sense of rationality and return to the right track of managing differences through talks and negotiations.

After reviewing the photos taken at the scene of the incident, a Chinese expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times that the Philippines' supply vessels were reinforced with hard shells in an apparent attempt to resist water cannons, as the CCG had deployed water cannons to warn away Philippine trespassing vessels in the past.

The Philippine vessels conducted dangerous maneuvers that threatened the safety of both sides, while the CCG's control measures were lawful, professional and restrained, the expert said.

Ironically, the Philippines' main supply ship had the words "safety first" painted on it, but the photos show that it dangerously approached and intentionally collided into Chinese vessels.

China Coast Guard law enforcement personnel board and inspect a Philippine supply boat in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard

Compared with previous incidents, the latest event saw the CCG board and conduct inspections of the Philippine vessels, observers said.

A photo showed that one of the Philippines' hard-shelled inflatable boats became closely surrounded by four Chinese boats - a small boat from the CCG Ship 21551, a small boat from a Chinese fishing ship and two speed boats - when CCG law enforcement personnel boarded the Filipino vessel, inspecting onboard items and holding its crew at the boat's bow.

The release of the photos came after CCG spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement on Monday that the Philippines broke its commitment by sending a supply ship and two inflatable boats to illegally enter the waters adjacent to the Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Islands on Monday, in an attempt to deliver supplies to its illegally "grounded" warship. 

In the process, the Philippine supply ship dangerously approached and intentionally collided into Chinese vessels, Gan said.

A Philippine supply ship dangerously approaches, intentionally collides into a Chinese vessel in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard

The CCG took control measures in accordance with the law, including issuing warnings, intercepting, boarding and conducting inspections, and forcibly driving them away, which were appropriate, lawful, professional and standardized actions, Gan said.

"We once again sternly warn the Philippine side that all forms of infringements and provocations are futile. The CCG will always remain on high alert and stand ready to resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the CCG spokesperson said.

According to a Tuesday report by Philippine media outlet GMA Integrated News, the CCG confiscated Philippine guns in the encounter.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that the CCG's law enforcement measures were professional and restrained, as they aimed to intercept illegal Philippine supply and did not take direct measures against Philippine personnel.

The Philippines repeatedly claimed that their supplies were living materials, but the truth is that they kept secretly supplying building materials, even weapons and munitions, attempting to permanently occupy Ren'ai Jiao, Lin said.

China Coast Guard boats forcefully expel a Philippine supply boat in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that the Philippines is continuing to applying its gray-zone tactics in an attempt to consolidate its illegal claims, but has met with powerful countermeasures from China.

The Philippines is intentionally escalating maritime frictions in coordination with its infringing provocations in diplomatic, legal and public opinion fields to put more pressure on China, under the encouragement of countries from outside the region, such as the US, Ding said.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr also faces domestic political pressures relating to economic, standard of living and social problems, so he has to keep creating maritime frictions to shift domestic challenges and public attention, Ding said. He noted that while the Philippine government, armed forces and coast guard gained political interests from the escalations, it cost the China-Philippines relations as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea.

A Philippine supply boat ignores warnings from the Chinese side and charges into waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard

Experts pointed out that the Philippines will not reach its goals, as China is determined in defending its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, and in managing differences and resolving the issue through talks and negotiations.

"If the Philippines continue to stir up trouble, it will surely face pointed countermeasures from China. The Philippines' acts and deeds will add volatility to the South China Sea, but it will not fundamentally change the regional situation or affect the navigation freedom and security," Ding said.

China remains open to talking with the Philippines over maritime issues, including holding direct negotiations and promoting maritime cooperation in less sensitive fields, Ding said.

"It is time for the Philippines to carefully reflect on whether it should continue to unreasonably provoke, or it should become aware of its mistakes and turn back from the wrong path," Ding said.

A China Coast Guard vessel takes restrictive measures against a Philippine supply boat in accordance with the law in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea on June 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of China Coast Guard