The Philippines has accused Chinese fishermen of dumping cyanide in waters around the Spratly Islands, a fiercely contested area in the South China Sea.
Manila described the alleged poisoning as an act of sabotage on Monday, intended to kill local fish populations and deprive Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal of a crucial food source.
China dismissed the claim as a farce. The allegation follows years of tense stand-offs and occasional violent confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed waters.
The South China Sea is at the centre of a territorial dispute between China, the Philippines and other countries.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakin said the accusation was completely unbelievable and not even worth refuting.
He added that, The Philippines has illegally harassed Chinese fishing vessels engaged in normal fishing activities.
The Philippine National Security Council (NSC) stated this alleged poisoning began last year around Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea. The reef is home to a small Philippine military outpost aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting World War Two-era ship deliberately grounded there in 1999 to assert Manila's claim to the territory.
According to NSC assistant director-general Cornelio Valencia, the use of cyanide was intended to kill local fish populations, depriving Navy personnel of a vital food source. He emphasized that it poses health risks to troops by contaminating the water and fish and could damage the coral reefs that support the vessel's structural foundations.
Valencia mentioned Manila had raised the alleged poisoning with Beijing during a recent meeting but had received no formal response. The NSC plans to submit a report to the foreign ministry, possibly forming the basis for a diplomatic protest.
The navy and coastguard have been ordered to increase patrols in the area.
Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Adm Roy Vincent Trinidad reported that Filipino troops seized cyanide from sampan boats allegedly launched from Chinese fishing vessels in previous months. Last month, military personnel observed another Chinese crew allegedly poisoning waters near the shoal, with tests confirming the presence of cyanide.
Cyanide fishing is illegal under Philippine law and is banned across Southeast Asia due to its destructive impact on marine ecosystems.
The South China Sea is central to overlapping territorial claims by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, and is vital for global shipping and fisheries that support millions across the region. The Paracel and Spratly Islands are believed to harbor natural resources and energy reserves.
China claims the sea nearly in its entirety, in defiance of a 2016 international tribunal ruling that found its claims had no legal basis.
The Philippines relies on its geographical proximity to the Spratlys to support its territorial claims, while both nations lay claim to the Scarborough Shoal, located closer to the Philippines.
Tensions have surged recently, following incidents involving Chinese coastguard personnel boarding Philippine vessels and blocking resupply missions. Joint maritime exercises conducted by the Philippines alongside the US, Australia, and Japan have raised China's ire, further complicating the regional situation.
