Tensions continue to escalate in the South China Sea. On Sunday (August 25th), a collision occurred once again between a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and a Philippine ship. Both sides subsequently accused each other, marking the latest incident in a series of maritime and aerial confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
This incident took place near Sabina Shoal. The Philippines on Sunday accused China of engaging in “aggressive and dangerous operations” to obstruct the Philippines’ resupply mission.
The Philippine South Sea Task Group stated that a Chinese vessel rammed a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries boat that was carrying food, fuel, and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen, and also used water cannons to attack the ship.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Coast Guard accused the Philippine vessel 3002 of ignoring warnings from the Chinese side and deliberately colliding with the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 21551, leading to the collision, with the full responsibility placed on the Philippine side.
The Philippine Task Group condemned the actions of multiple Chinese vessels against the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries ship as “dangerous operations,” causing the Philippine ship’s engine to fail, forcing them to end the resupply mission. China’s “unprofessional, coercive, and illegal” behavior poses a serious threat to the safety of Filipino crew members and the fishermen they are there to serve.
The Philippines once again called on Beijing to cease its “provocative actions that disrupt regional peace and security.”
The United States reiterated its support for the Philippines in the China-Philippines conflict on Sunday.
US Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, condemned on social media platform X, saying that China’s “unsafe, illegal, and coercive behavior disrupts the Philippines’ lawful activities and endangers lives.”
This marks the third conflict between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea region within a week.
On Saturday (August 24th), the Philippines stated that one of its Fisheries Bureau aircraft was threatened with a flare by China launched from the Subi Reef base in the South China Sea during a routine patrol on August 22nd. The Philippines demanded that China “immediately halt all provocations and dangerous actions.”
On August 19th, the Philippines and China accused each other of ship collisions and dangerous operations in the South China Sea on that day. The Philippines stated that two Coast Guard ships encountered “illegal aggressive actions” by Chinese vessels near Sabina Shoal when en route to two islands to deliver supplies for Philippine stationed personnel.
The Chinese Coast Guard at the time, in a statement, claimed that a Philippine ship ignored multiple warnings and deliberately collided with a Chinese vessel in a “unprofessional and dangerous” manner in the disputed waterway.