A Chinese Coast Guard vessel and a Chinese PLA Navy warship collided on Monday, August 11, while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard ship near the contested Scarborough Shoal.
The incident happened as the BRP Suluan was on a mission to deliver fuel and supplies to Filipino fishermen operating in the area. Philippine authorities said the Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG 3104 executed a dangerous maneuver from the starboard quarter of the Suluan, but instead struck the PLA Navy’s Ship 164.
The impact reportedly caused serious damage to the Coast Guard vessel’s bow, leaving it unseaworthy. The Suluan avoided damage and continued its mission, even offering medical assistance and rescue support to the Chinese crews, which Beijing declined.
Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows the collision unfolding during a high-speed chase, with Chinese ships also using blocking maneuvers and water cannons. Manila condemned the incident as “unsafe and unprofessional,” while Chinese state media accused the Philippines of “illegal intrusion” without acknowledging the collision.
Scarborough Shoal, known locally as Bajo de Masinloc, is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but has been under de facto Chinese control since 2012. Tensions in the area have been escalating in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of aggressive actions.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to maintaining a presence in the West Philippine Sea, saying the country “will not be deterred” from protecting its sovereign rights.
haha wala naman ibibigay si digong since mga disputed naman ang islands, yung clear na pag bigay is yung nagtayo ng military bases sa mainland natin mismo at bawal pumasok ang pinoy
Binigay naman talaga nya yun kahit alam natin na nasasakupan ng ating teritory, even our freedom of navigation sa loob ng teritory natin ay nalimitahan dahil sa condition na pabor lang sa China.
