A Chinese naval frigate has run aground on a shoal claimed by the Philippines as the South China Sea dispute rolls along. From the Associated Press, via the Washington Post:
The Philippines says a Chinese warship entered an area it claims in the South China Sea and ran aground on a shoal, as tensions continue between the two countries over a separate territorial dispute.
Foreign affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said Saturday that Manila wants Beijing to explain why the Chinese frigate became stuck on Half Moon Shoal, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) from the western province of Palawan.
Six Chinese ships are in the area, apparently trying to help the stuck frigate which, according to Filipino sources, appears to be in distress.
The Philippines are the weakest link in the chain of Asian countries who dispute their maritime borders with China, and the territories covered by conflicting Philippine-Chinese claims are of great importance both strategically and in terms of the (potential) undersea resources.
Expect more incidents of this kind, and quite possibly more dangerous ones.
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