On Monday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stated that a Chinese Coast Guard ship collided with a Chinese Navy vessel near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea while aggressively pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard ship. The collision resulted in severe damage to the navy vessel, almost rendering it incapable of sailing.
According to Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine vessel was delivering supplies to Filipino fishermen in the waters near Scarborough Shoal when the Chinese Coast Guard ship engaged in a “dangerous interception” and attempted to intercept them with high-pressure water cannons but missed the Philippine ship. During the pursuit, the Chinese Coast Guard ship suddenly turned and violently collided with its own large navy vessel.
The video released by the Philippine side shows a Chinese Coast Guard ship speeding and spraying water cannons as it closely follows the Philippine Coast Guard ship. It then abruptly changes course and crashes into the much larger Chinese navy vessel, resulting in a loud impact.
The Chinese Coast Guard later confirmed it had “expelled” the Philippine fleet from the area, accusing them of “illegally entering Chinese waters,” but remained silent on the collision involving their own ships.
Scarborough Shoal is located in a strategically significant area of the South China Sea and has been under Chinese control since 2012. Apart from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also claim partial rights over the area. In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that Beijing’s sovereignty claims based on the “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law, but China refused to accept the decision.
The collision occurred amidst frequent tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Over the past two years, there have been multiple instances of dangerous confrontations, including an incident where Chinese Coast Guard personnel clashed with Philippine soldiers using knives and spears, resulting in injuries to Philippine personnel.
Just days before the incident, Beijing had issued a warning to the Philippines regarding the Taiwan Strait issue, cautioning them against “playing with fire.” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reiterated on Monday that if a war were to break out in the Taiwan Strait, the Philippines would be inevitably involved, whether they liked it or not. He also emphasized that as a long-standing ally of the United States, the Philippines would continue to uphold its territorial and sovereign rights in the South China Sea and would not back down in the face of any opposition.