Manila accuses Beijing of blocking coast guard enforcement operation

The Philippine Coast Guard said Sunday that Chinese maritime vessels impeded its operations against a foreign fishing boat suspected of using dynamite to catch fish near Thitu Island, which is administered by Manila in the contested waters.

The incident marks the latest flashpoint in the strategically important South China Sea, where China and several Southeast Asian nations maintain overlapping territorial claims. The Philippines has repeatedly protested Chinese actions in waters it considers its exclusive economic zone.

According to the Coast Guard account, the obstruction prevented authorities from completing their enforcement mission against the suspected illegal fishing vessel. Such dynamite fishing operations damage marine ecosystems and represent a violation of international maritime law.

The Philippines has sought to maintain its presence and assert administrative control over several islands and features it occupies in the South China Sea, including Thitu Island, despite China's extensive territorial claims in the region.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing over maritime jurisdiction and resource access in Southeast Asia's most contested waterway.