Chinese Warship and Coast Guard Vessel Collide Near Disputed Scarborough Shoal with the Philippines.

 

Chinese Warship and Coast Guard Vessel Collide Near Disputed Scarborough Shoal with the Philippines.

Monday, August 11, 2025.

A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel sustained severe damage on Monday after colliding with a Chinese Navy warship in a tense maritime encounter with a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel near Bajo de Masinloc, also known internationally as Scarborough Shoal. According to the PCG, the incident occurred while carrying out the "Kadiwa Para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda" program, delivering supplies to Philippine fishing vessels operating in disputed waters. The BRP Teresa Magbanua, BRP Suluan, and MV Pamamalakaya departed early in the morning to support approximately 35 fishing vessels in the area. During the mission, the PCG vessels and the fishermen they escorted encountered "dangerous maneuvers and obstructive actions" by other vessels in the vicinity. The PCG reported that the patrol boat MRRV 4406 was targeted by water cannons, but the crew managed to avoid being shot by evading them.

The confrontation escalated when the China Coast Guard vessel 3104, while pursuing the BRP Suluan at high speed, executed what the PCG described as a dangerous maneuver on the starboard side of the Philippine vessel. This resulted in a collision with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) destroyer 164, located approximately 10.5 nautical miles east of Bajo de Masinloc. The impact severely damaged the CCG's hull, rendering it unseaworthy. Immediately after the incident, the PCG offered assistance to the Chinese crew, including the evacuation of those who had fallen overboard and medical support. There was no official confirmation from either side of any casualties. Meanwhile, the PCG's MRRV 9701 escorted the Filipino fishermen to safety, where they received fuel and other essential supplies. The Chinese government offered a very different account of the incident. According to the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China, Philippine Coast Guard and government vessels have "forcefully intruded" into waters off Huangyan Island under the "pretext" of delivering supplies to fishing vessels, despite "repeated dissuade and warnings" by Chinese authorities. China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said on Monday that Chinese units "took all necessary measures, including tracking, monitoring, blocking, and controlling" to repel the Philippine vessels.

Gan added that "operations on the ground were conducted in a professional, standard, and lawful manner." Gan reiterated Beijing's position that "Huangyan Island is an inseparable part of China's territory" and said that the China Coast Guard will "continue to carry out rights protection law enforcement activities" in the waters around the island "in accordance with the law" and will "resolutely safeguard China's national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." Bajo de Masinloc, a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen, lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but is also claimed by China, which refers to it as Huangyan Island. The region has been a flashpoint for repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels, often involving coast guard vessels, maritime militia vessels, and fishing boats from both countries. The collision between the CCG vessel and the PLAN warship is the latest in a series of incidents that underscore the volatility of the disputed South China Sea. Although both sides avoid direct military engagement, these encounters often escalate into high-risk maneuvers that increase the risk of accidents.

Monday's incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the region, with Philippine authorities publicly vowing to maintain their presence in the disputed waters and China reasserting its territorial claims. The Ministry of National Defense in Beijing did not acknowledge the collision between the Chinese vessels in its statement, and there was no immediate comment from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on the extent of the damage to the CCG vessel.

source: facebook technology military strategy