Tàu chiến mục nát của Philippines đậu trên bãi cạn nhỏ chọc tức Trung Quốc suốt hai thập kỷ

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For more than two decades, it has been an unlikely flashpoint (điểm nóng) in the South China Sea: a rusty (rỉ sét), World War II-era (thời Thế chiến II) ship beached (mắc cạn) on a tiny reef (rạn san hô) that has become a symbol of Philippine resistance (sự phản kháng, chống cự; cuộc kháng chiến) against Beijing.

The Philippine government ran the vessel aground in 1999 on the Second Thomas Shoal, a contested reef 120 miles off the coast of the western province of Palawan.

The dilapidated (đổ nát) warship (tàu chiến), known as the Sierra Madre, will never sail again. But it has remained there ever since, a marker of the Philippines’ claim to the shoal (bãi cạn) and an effort to prevent China from seizing more of the disputed waters (vùng biển tranh chấp).

... “You are a state party to UNCLOS,” a Filipino officer on the Cabra told a Chinese ship over the radio, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international agreement governing marine and maritime activities. “Your actions are illegal. Stop your activity, or face the consequence (đối mặt với hậu quả) of your action.”

“Stop the operation and leave the sea area immediately,” the Chinese radioed in response.

... China has repeatedly harassed (quấy rối) the Philippines’ vessels as they sought to resupply the navy troops who guard the Sierra Madre. Each mission runs the risk of escalating (leo thang) into a broader conflict (xung đột).

source: nytimes,