MazarVision, a satellite imaging and analysis firm based in Shanghai, China, released satellite images of the aircraft carrier. The ship’s presence near the Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, which are subject to a sovereignty dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, has drawn attention as it sails near the area amid rising tensions. The satellite images show the aircraft carrier moving east from its naval base in Sanya, the capital of Hainan Island in southern China, and heading northwest of the Philippines’ Luzon Island. The Chinese and Philippine Defense Ministries have yet to comment on the ship’s movement.
China-Philippines Tension
The Chinese navy has increased its activities in the South China Sea, where tensions with the Philippines have been high. Last week, the naval fleet, consisting of two destroyers, one frigate and one supply ship, was seen off Palawan Island, off the southwestern tip of the Philippines. The Second Thomas Shoal is an area controlled by the Philippines, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and has been the scene of friction and tensions in recent times, with ships from the two countries facing off.
China-Philippines Tension
A Philippine Navy warship has run aground on the shallows called “Ayungin” by the Filipinos and “Rınai” by the Chinese. Philippine ships visit the area at intervals to resupply the ship. The Beijing administration is demanding that the warship “Sierra Madre”, which has run on a ground on the reef, be withdrawn and the reef be restored to its original state, stating that it is illegal in the area.
China-Philippines Tension
Tensions between the countries have been rising after the Chinese Coast Guard tried to block supply flights to meet the needs of sailors on a ship stranded on the reef. Last week, the Chinese Coast Guard blocked Philippine Navy supply ships in the area, and Chinese Coast Guard personnel armed with knives and machetes threatened Filipino soldiers.
South China Sea Dispute
The South China Sea has been the focus of sovereignty disputes among countries in the region since World War II, when the coastal countries gained their independence. China’s construction of bases on disputed islands in the region and its presence with civilian ship fleets as well as military elements are opposed by regional countries as well as the US. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s unilateral claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea were illegal in its decision on the Philippines’ application.
