Tuesday’s announcement marks the third publicly reported instance of China summoning the Philippine ambassador during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s administration, following summonses in January 2024 after the Philippine president congratulated Taiwan leader-elect Lai Ching-te on his election victory, and in November 2024 over Manila’s enactment of the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.
China’s foreign ministry has also, over the years, called in the Philippine ambassador to make representations – a less severe diplomatic step than a formal summons – over issues including disputes in the South China Sea and Taiwan-related matters.
Marcos was last publicly reported to have summoned the Chinese ambassador in 2023, after a Chinese coast guard ship directed a military-grade laser against a Philippine coast guard vessel.
China’s foreign ministry called the actions taken by the Philippines during Monday’s encounter „egregious in nature“.
Manila accused Beijing of aggressively striking one of its navy personnel on the head with a wooden baton and said one navy rubber boat was damaged.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, the CCG said China permitted the Philippine side to transfer the injured personnel through small shuttle boats from the grounded Philippine warship „out of humanitarian consideration“.
„The CCG inquired and verified the Philippine boats, and monitored the whole process,“ CCG spokesperson Jiang Lue said, adding China will continue to carry out „rights-protection and law-enforcement operations“ in waters near the Second Thomas Shoal.
The Philippine military on Tuesday called China’s claims „false and misleading“, saying its personnel did not initiate any confrontation.
