A Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed into its own navy a navy warship on Monday while chasing Philippine vessels across the disputed South China Sea. Manila said the incident took place while its officials were distributing aid to fishermen in the disputed Scarborough Shoal area. Meanwhile Beijing has accused the Philippines of “forcibly intruding” into Chinese waters.
A statement by the Chinese Coast Guard avoided mention of the gaffe — stating that it had taken ‘necessary measures’ to expel the Philippine vessels. It also said that authorities had monitored and intercepted the Philippine vessels after they ignored warnings — forcing them away from the waters in a “professional, standardised, legitimate and legal” operation.
Videos released by the Philippines showed a Chinese coast guard vessel firing water cannons as it chased its Philippine counterpart. The chase came to an abrupt end after it made a sudden turn and promptly slammed into a much larger Chinese ship. According to a BBC report quoting Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard, the vessel had inflicted “substantial damage” on the forward deck of the Chinese warship with its “risky manoeuvre”.
What is the Scarborough Shoal dispute?
The Scarborough Shoal is a heavily disputed atoll in the South China Sea — comprising of two uninhabited islets with many reefs. It is a key global trade route where overlapping claims between China and the Philippines have escalated in recent years. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also lay claim to parts of the contested waters. Beijing has maintained de facto control with a consistent coast guard presence since it seized the area from the Philippines in 2012. It continues to restrict access for Filipino fishermen and also rebuffed the 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its broad South China Sea claims.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also said that the coast guard, navy, and other vessels defending territorial interests in the South China Sea would ‘never back down’ from its efforts. He also reiterated during a news conference on Monday that they would stand their ground in the contested waters after the Chinese coast guard gave chase.
China vs the Philippines?
Relations between China and the Philippines have been severely strained after Marcos, who took office in mid-2022, and his administration emerged as some of the most vocal critics in Asia of China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea. His administration has also increased engagement with the US and begun broadening security alliances with other Western and Asian countries — such as Japan, Australia, India, and some EU member states — to counteract the assertiveness of Beijing.
Controversy had also erupted last week as Marcos broached the possibility of involvement in a China-Taiwan conflict. The top officials opined during a recent visit to India that there was “no way that the Philippines can stay out of it” due to proximity with the democratically governed island. China has since accused Marcos of “playing with fire” while the Philippines President insisted on Monday that his comments had been “misinterpreted” by the other country.