On August 11, in the disputed waters of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, the Chinese coast guard vessel with the number 3104 lost control while chasing a Philippine patrol boat and collided with its own naval destroyer, the Gui Lin. This collision resulted in significant damage to the bow of the 3104 vessel, with 2-3 crew members reported missing.
The two Chinese warships involved in the collision, one from the navy and the other from the coast guard, likely failed to coordinate properly. The disparity in tonnage and speed between the two vessels made it difficult to maneuver on the water, and it required high seamanship skills to coordinate attacks. The actions of the Chinese warships in this collision were seen as rough and reckless, lacking professionalism and posing extreme danger. Moreover, the decision to utilize a large naval destroyer against a Philippine patrol boat could be interpreted as an attempt to assert dominance hastily, potentially damaging China’s international reputation. It raises questions about whether high-ranking officials ordered a forceful response against the Filipino patrol boat to flex military muscle. Regardless, this collision dealt a heavy blow to the image of China’s military forces.
In addition, there was an issue during the “performance enhancement” retrofit of the Taiwan Navy’s Kang Ding-class Chengde frigate in Kaohsiung. The internal pipelines of the vessel were severely deteriorated, and some structures were corroded beyond initial estimates, necessitating additional purchases of replacement parts from the French manufacturer. As a result, the completion date of the performance enhancement project, which included upgrades such as the Huayang vertical launch system, Sea Sword II air defense missiles, a new towed array sonar system, and BAE Systems’ new 3D search radar, will be delayed beyond the third quarter of 2025, as per the contract.
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