The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on June 7, 2024 accuses its Chinese counterpart of blocking efforts to evacuate a sick member of its armed forces in the South China Sea, calling its actions "barbaric and inhumane." The incident, which the Philippines said took place last month, involved a member of a small contingent of marines posted to guard the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine vessel grounded at the disputed Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal, the site of repeated confrontations with China this past year. China's embassy in the Philippines has acknowledged a request for comment, but did not immediately respond with a statement. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce, and has deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels as far as 1,000 km off its mainland to police what it says is its jurisdiction.
Video by REUTERS