THE Philippine Coast Guard has accused China of flashing a “military-grade” laser light at one of its ships in the disputed West Philippine Sea. 

The PCG said its personnel who encountered the laser attack suffered temporary blindness.

In its Facebook Page, the PCG showed photos of a green flare allegedly coming from a Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 5205.

What happened

The PCG said the incident involved its vessel BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403).

The BRP Malapascua was en route to Ayungin Shoal on Monday last week, February 6, when it encountered the Chinese vessel. 

As soon as the BRP Malapascua reached ten nautical miles off Ayungin Shoal, the Chinese maneuvered around four nautical miles from the left side towards the right side.

“The Chinese ship illuminated the green laser light twice toward the BRP MALAPASCUA, causing temporary blindness to her crew at the bridge. The Chinese vessel also made dangerous maneuvers by approaching about 150 yards from the vessel’s starboard quarter,” the PCG said.

Nothing untoward happened after this. 

The BRP Malapascua simply “altered course” and headed toward Lawak Island, where the Philippines has a substation. The BRP Malapascua then joined BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) in conducting resupply mission and patrol.

The PCG said this is the latest incident of Chinese harassment it encountered during its resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal. The Philippines has soldiers stationed at the vintage BRP Sierra Madre on the shoal.

Ayungin Shoal, a rock outcrop, is located 105 nautical miles west of Puerto Princesa.

Why is a laser attack such a big deal

For ordinary civilians, laser pointers directed at someone’s eye are already hazardous and can cause vision loss that can last for months. Severe exposure may lead to permanent blindness.

Modern warships are equipped with lasers. But these are used during firing practice “to paint” against dummy targets. 

Australian international security and intelligence analyst John Blaxland said pointing a laser is “widely seen as a hostile act, just short of crossing the threshold of open conflict or war.”

“Laser pointing is separated from firing a missile with hostile intent by a mere split second. This can be a nerve-wracking experience for those subjected to such beams,” Blakland wrote in his column at UK’s The Guardian.

Other incidents involving Chinese laser attacks

This is not the first time that China has shone military-grade lasers on other foreign ships.

Sometime in February 2022, China allegedly shone a military-grade laser on Australia’s aircraft in the Arafura Sea, within Canberra’s exclusive economic zone.

Australia’s Defense Department condemned the act as “unprofessional and unsafe military conduct.”

Australia’s then Prime Minister Scott Morrison said China’s laser attack put military lives at risk and considered this as “an act of intimidation.”

In 2018, the US also accused the Chinese military of pointing military-grade lasers at US pilots who were trying to land at Djibouti in East Africa. China has a military base in Djibouti.

China reaction

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has yet to respond to Philippine Coast Guard’s accusation.

But in the previous accusations made by the US and Australia, the Chinese Foreign Ministry simply brushed them off as “totally groundless and purely fabricated.”