中国海警局、比漁業局の船に放水 「故意の接触」も映像

【マニラＡＦＰ＝時事】フィリピンは４日、中国と領有権を争う南シナ海のスカボロー礁付近で、巡回中の漁業水産資源局の船が中国海警局の船に放水砲を浴びせられ、「故意に接触」されたと発表した。（写真は、南シナ海のスカボロー礁付近で、フィリピン漁業水産資源局のものと見られる船舶〈左〉に放水する中国海警局の船舶）
　フィリピンは、漁業水産資源局の船舶が中国海警局の船舶に放水される様子を捉えた動画を公開。
　また、フィリピン船から撮影されたとみられる別の動画には、乗員が「衝突！ 衝突！」と叫び、同船より、はるかに大きい中国の船舶が右側に接近して衝突する前の様子が捉えられていた。
　フィリピンの沿岸警備隊と漁業局は共同声明で、放水砲は「船の航行アンテナに直接向けられていた」と主張。中国船から「故意に接触」され、その後再び、放水砲を浴びせられたとしている。
　一方の中国海警局は当初、フィリピン船が「危険なほど接近した」とし、乗員は「法に基づいて」行動したと主張。
　しかしその後、フィリピン側が「虚偽の主張をしている」と非難し、相手の船が「大きくかじを切って後進し、故意に中国船に衝突した」と説明した。
　フィリピンが公開した衝突の様子を捉えたとするドローン映像には、同国の船舶が後進する様子は映っていない。
　ＡＦＰは、いずれの動画についても独自に検証できていない。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/04-19:01）

The Philippines said the China Coast Guard fired water cannon and sideswiped a government vessel Wednesday during a maritime patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, after Beijing said it had exercised control over the ship.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims from other countries -- including the Philippines -- and an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Vessels from the two sides have clashed frequently in the past year, resulting in injuries and damages.
Tensions flared again on Wednesday, with Manila releasing a video appearing to show a Chinese coast guard ship firing a torrent of water at the Philippines fisheries department vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya.
Other footage apparently taken from the Philippine ship showed its crew shouting Collision! Collision! as the much larger Chinese vessel approaches its right-hand side before crashing into it.
The water cannon was aimed directly at the vessel's navigational antennas, the Philippine coast guard and fisheries ministry said in a joint statement.
The Chinese vessel intentionally sideswiped the ship before launching a second water cannon attack, the statement said.
China's coast guard said in an initial statement that Philippine ships came dangerously close and that its crew's actions had been in accordance with the law.
But in a later statement, it accused Manila of making bogus accusations in an attempt to mislead international understanding.
It said the Philippine ship had turned at a great angle and reversed, deliberately colliding with the Chinese ship.
Video released by Manila said to be drone footage of the collision does not show the Philippine ship reversing.
AFP has not independently verified the videos.
- Growing tensions -
Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila says harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from accessing a fish-rich lagoon there.
The shoal lies 240 kilometres (150 miles) west of the Philippines' main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea escalated last month when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos signed two laws defining the country's sea waters and imposing fixed lanes for foreign ships, prompting China to summon the Philippine ambassador.
And ties frayed further when the Philippines and the United States signed a security deal allowing both sides to share classified information.
In a separate incident, Beijing said Monday it had taken control measures against Philippine ships it accused of illegally gathering near Iroquois Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands.
On that occasion, Beijing warned Manila to immediately stop its infringements and provocations.
Manila said a Chinese navy helicopter had harassed Philippine fishing vessels in the area, and shared video footage that purported to show the aircraft hovering low over a Philippine boat.
The Philippine coast guard said it had deployed two vessels in the area to ensure the safety and security of Filipino fishermen exercising their right to fish freely there.
burs-mjw/reb/dhc