Asia 835
Participants: 710 China/840 Philippines
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: China seized Philippine fishermen and their vessels in January 1995 near
the disputed Spratly Islands. The Philippines protested. On February 22, Philippine
forces found Chinese buildings on the disputed islands and sent naval vessels and
aircraft in response. On March 25, Philippine forces seized Chinese fishing vessels
and sentenced the crew to a 10-month jail term. China protested. Finally, on May 13,
a military confrontation between naval forces occurred when Chinese vessels tried to
block a Philippine naval boat headed for the Spratlys; the Philippines responded with
another naval vessel and an air force jet.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from January 1995. End Date changed from
May 13, 1995. Settlement changed from None.
MID#4028
Dispute Number: 4028
Date(s): December 1996 to September 23, 1997
Participants: 840 Philippines/710 China
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The Philippines fortified claimed islands in the Spratly chain in prepara-
tion for possible conflict with Chinese forces in December 1996. Four Chinese naval
forces then sailed into the area in April 1997. The Philippine air forces responded
with increased patrols and reinforced the islands with additional marines. Philippine
patrols arrested Chinese fisherman accused of poaching off the Scarsborough Shoal
in May and destroyed Chinese buoys and installations in June. The last incident for
this dispute was another seizure of Chinese fishermen near the disputed islands; the
fishermen were released on September 23.
MID#4128
Dispute Number: 4128
Date(s): August 4, 1998 to May 16, 2000
Participants: 840 Philippines/710 China
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute is another series of militarized incidents regarding the Spratly
Islands. On August 4, 1998, four Chinese ships, a Vietnamese ship, and two boats of
unidentified origin anchored four miles from Parola, an islet claimed by the Philip-
pines. The Philippine navy responded with increased patrols in Pag-asa, the group of
islets claimed by the Philippines.
On October 28, the Philippine navy spotted armed Chinese vessels near Philippine-
claimed islets; one of the ships carried construction equipment to improve Chinese
structures on the Meiji islands. On May 23, 1999, a Philippine naval ship engaged
a Chinese fishing vessel in a chase, collided with it and caused the fishing vessel to