Philippines withdraws coast guard ship from disputed South China Sea shoal

Beijing says Manila’s actions in disputed waters ‘have seriously infringed on China’s territorial sovereignty’

The Philippines has withdrawn a vessel that was keeping watch over a shoal in the South China Sea following a months-long standoff with China over a territorial dispute.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua, the Southeast Asian country's largest coast guard vessel, returned to port on Sunday from the disputed Sabina Shoal after a five-month deployment.

It was deployed in April to monitor what Manila claims to be China's small-scale land reclamation activities in the region.

The shoal became the latest flashpoint between the two countries after China responded by sending a larger ship. The Philippines alleged that China blocked its efforts to resupply the crew.

The Philippines and China have exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming each other’s vessels in the disputed waters in recent months, including a violent clash in June that resulted in a Filipino sailor losing a finger.

The ship's return was not related to China's demand for Manila to withdraw its vessel, Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela claimed. The vessel returned for repairs and to get its crew medical attention.

He said Manila will continue to deploy vessels in the contested reef and "sustain presence over these waters".

Sabina Shoal, which China refers to as Xianbin Reef and the Philippines as the Escoda Shoal, is a coral atoll in the disputed Spratly Islands, west of the Philippine province of Palawan.

It is close to the Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by the Philippines and has seen many confrontations between the coast guards of the two countries in recent years.

"Regardless of what size of vessel, regardless of how many vessels, the main objective and the commitment of the commandant ... is to make sure that at any one time, there will be a coast guard presence in the shoal," Mr Tarriela said.

The Philippines will send another vessel to replace the BRP Teresa Magbanua, in a move that could further irk China.

China's coast guard said on Sunday it will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the waters under Beijing's jurisdiction in accordance with the law and safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. Its claims overlap with those of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

"The Philippine side's actions have seriously infringed on China's territorial sovereignty," Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, said in a statement.

A series of clashes around Sabina Shoal has caused fears that any misstep at sea could unintentionally spill over into an armed conflict, potentially drawing in the US, the chief ally of the Philippines.