The Philippines has released footage showing a Chinese warship colliding with a Chinese coastguard vessel while both were pursuing a Philippine patrol boat near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident occurred on Monday as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escorted vessels distributing aid to local fishers.
Video released by Manila shows a Chinese coastguard ship and a larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull crashing into each other with a loud bang. Additional footage revealed the Chinese coastguard vessel with its entire bow crumpled inward, rendering it unseaworthy, according to PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.
The Philippine foreign ministry accused Chinese crews of “dangerous manoeuvres and unlawful interference” during the resupply mission. Tarriela stated that the Chinese coastguard vessel CCG 3104, while chasing the PCG vessel BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre that led to the impact with the People's Liberation Army navy warship. Earlier, the BRP Suluan had been targeted with a water cannon but evaded it.
Tarriela expressed concern for crew members visible on the Chinese vessel's front section shortly before the collision, noting that the Chinese crew did not respond to offers of assistance. China's coastguard spokesperson Gan Yu confirmed a confrontation but did not mention the collision, stating that Chinese vessels took “necessary measures in accordance with the law” to drive away Philippine vessels that had “forcibly intruded” into Chinese waters.
The Scarborough Shoal has been a flashpoint since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said patrol vessels would continue to defend Manila's sovereign rights in the area. The incident is the latest in a series of confrontations in the South China Sea, through which more than 60% of global maritime trade passes.
