Sat Jan 25 11:34:59 IST 2025: ## Chinese Harassment Forces Philippines to Abandon South China Sea Survey
**Manila, Philippines –** Philippine Coast Guard vessels conducting a scientific survey in the disputed South China Sea were forced to abandon their operation Friday after being harassed by Chinese Coast Guard ships and a navy helicopter near Sandy Cay. The Chinese vessels engaged in aggressive maneuvers, including close approaches that risked collision, while the helicopter flew low over Philippine boats.
Videos released by the Philippine Coast Guard show the close encounters. The incident occurred near Sandy Cay, a strategically located group of islands in the Spratly archipelago, claimed by both countries.
The harassment prompted immediate condemnation. The Philippines has called China the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed America’s “ironclad commitments” to the Philippines under their Mutual Defense Treaty following a phone call with his Philippine counterpart. The U.S. has repeatedly warned China against aggression in the region, highlighting its obligations to defend the Philippines under the treaty in case of armed attack. China maintains its claim to most of the South China Sea, but has yet to provide precise coordinates for its claimed territory.
The incident is the latest escalation in the long-running territorial dispute and raises questions about how President Trump will respond to China’s increasingly assertive actions in the strategically vital waterway. The previous administration, under President Biden, focused on strengthening regional security alliances to counter China’s influence.
First Piper 