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Argentina Sinks Chinese Fishing Vessel Near EEZ — Netizens Remind Beijing Of 2016 Incident As PLA Threatens Philippines

Following a string of encounters between the Chinese Coast Guard and Filipino forces, the BRP Sierra Madre, a Filipino warship moored in the disputed South China Sea, has made headlines once again.

Last week, the Philippines’ Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that if China removed the rusting warship—the BRP Sierra Madre—that operates as a Filipino military outpost in the Second Thomas Shoal, it would be tantamount to an “act of war. “He was speaking in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes. “

Teodoro Jr also emphasized that Manila would expect an intervention by the United States if China tried removing the vessel since there were people onboard. The US is a treaty ally of the Philippines and is bound to protect the country in case of a conflict.

“That is an outpost of Philippine sovereignty, so we’re not only talking about a rusty old vessel. We are talking about a piece of Philippine territory there,” Teodoro said.

The Philippines intentionally grounded the World War II-era warship BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert its territorial claim. The country maintains a small contingent of marines aboard the ship.

Since China claims the Second Thomas Shoal, the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) has repeatedly blocked resupply missions to the Sierra Madre by ramming vessels and harassing Filipino forces.

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In June 2024, the CCG seized Philippine equipment during an Armed Forces of the Philippines-led resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) at Second Thomas Shoal.

In recent times, the Second Thomas Shoal has remained free from tension because the flashpoint has moved to the Shabina Shoal near the Spratly Islands, which has become the arena of a showdown. Tensions between China and the Philippines are currently at an all-time high, with the latter accusing Beijing of violent high-handedness.

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The recent episode of tensions has further fuelled anti-China sentiment in Manila, as evidenced by the Defense Secretary’s remark about going to war over the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre. As tensions with China remain high, the Philippines has promised to keep up its presence at the disputed sites and fortify its overall military posture.




File:BRP Sierra Madre in 2017.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
BRP Sierra Madre in 2017- Wikimedia Commons

In this context, an account on X (formerly Twitter) that was named after the BRP Sierra Madre—a vessel that has come to represent the resilience of the Filipino people — discussed the sinking of a Chinese fishing trawler by Argentina.

Referring to the incident shared by another X user, the account called for regional unity against China. The account has been actively posting content linked to the Philippines-China engagements and confrontations at sea.

Referring to the incident in 2016, the user wrote: “This is how we stand up to bullies—by speaking their language and showing strength. If the nations around the South China Sea unite and firmly push back against China’s aggression, they’ll think twice before crossing the line. Together, we can make sure boundaries are respected, and no one uses intimidation to take control.”

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When Argentina Sank A Chinese Vessel

In 2016, an incident in Argentina sent shockwaves through China despite warm ties between the Chinese government and former Argentine President Mauricio Macri.

In March 2016, the Argentine Coast Guard announced that it had sunk a Chinese fishing vessel that was engaged in illegal fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Argentina.

The Chinese vessel ‘Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010’ was found illegally fishing off the coast of Puerto Madryn, a region well known for squid. The Argentine Coast Guard’s radar detected the trawler.

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