Chinese and Philippine Coast Guard Vessels Collide in South China Sea
In a dramatic turn of events, Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday, causing injuries to four Filipino crew members. This incident occurred as Southeast Asian leaders gathered for a summit that was expected to address Beijing’s aggression at sea. The clash occurred near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine coast guard and supply vessels, leading to dangerous maneuvers and minor collisions.
According to Philippine officials, the Chinese ships executed dangerous maneuvers that resulted in collisions with two Philippine vessels. The BRP Sindangan of the Philippine coast guard sustained minor structural damage, while another Chinese coast guard ship blocked and collided with a supply boat being escorted by the Philippine coast guard. The supply boat, manned by Filipino navy personnel, was then hit by water cannon blasts from two Chinese coast guard ships, resulting in injuries to four Filipino crew members.
The Philippine government task force dealing with territorial disputes condemned the actions of the Chinese coast guard, describing them as “another attempt to illegally impede or obstruct a routine resupply and rotation mission.” The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila summoned China’s deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guard’s actions, demanding that Chinese vessels leave the vicinity of Ayungin shoal immediately.
The Second Thomas Shoal has been a site of contention between China and the Philippines for years. A small Philippine marine and navy contingent has been stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting warship marooned in the shallows of the shoal since the late 1990s. China claims the shoal and has surrounded it with coast guard, navy, and other ships to press its claims and prevent Filipino forces from delivering construction materials to fortify the Sierra Madre.
The Chinese coast guard accused the Philippine ships of illegally intruding into the waters adjacent to Ren’ai Reef, as they call the Second Thomas Shoal. They claimed that a Philippine ship deliberately rammed a Chinese coast guard vessel, causing minor damage. However, Washington strongly condemned the Chinese coast guard’s actions, with the U.S. ambassador in Manila expressing support for the Philippines and proponents of international law.
The territorial disputes in the South China Sea are expected to be discussed at a summit of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their Australian counterpart. The Philippines and Vietnam plan to raise their concerns over China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters during the summit. Last year, Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships were accused of blocking Philippine vessels, using water cannons, and even temporarily blinding Filipino crew members with a military-grade laser.
These confrontations have raised fears of a larger conflict that could involve the United States. The U.S. has warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China, on the other hand, has warned the U.S. to stop meddling in what it considers a purely Asian dispute.
The South China Sea is a strategic waterway with overlapping claims from Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China. It is not only a major global trade route but also believed to sit atop rich undersea deposits of oil and gas. As tensions continue to rise in the region, it remains to be seen how these territorial disputes will be resolved and whether diplomatic efforts can prevent further clashes at sea.