Two Chinese vessels collided with each other yesterday while chasing a Philippine patrol vessel in the South China Sea, the Philippine government said, describing it as a result of China’s “reckless” policy in the disputed waterway.
The incident took place around 10.5 nautical miles east of Scarborough Shoal, as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escorted boats distributing fuel and other supplies to Filipino fishermen in the area, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said in a statement.
The “friendly fire” collision involved a People’s Liberation Army Navy warship and patrol ship 3104 from the China Coast Guard (CCG) which were attempting to interdict the PCG supply mission. According to Tarriela, CCG vessel 3104 was chasing the PCG vessel BRP Suluan “at high speed,” when it “performed a risky maneuver from the PCG vessel’s starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA Navy warship. This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy.”
In line with its “transparency policy,” the PCG also released several videos of the collision, while journalists aboard the PCG vessels took photos of CCG vessel 3104 in the aftermath, showing serious damage to its bow.
Following the collision, Tarriela said that the PCG “immediately offered support, including assistance with man-overboard recovery and medical aid for any injured CCG crew members.” It then “safely escorted the Filipino fishermen to a secure location, where they are now being provided with essential fuel and supplies.” Prior to the collision, Tarriela said that the BRP Suluan was “targeted with a water cannon” by the Chinese vessel but “successfully” evaded it.
Scarborough Shoal, a triangular barrier of reefs about 120 nautical miles (222 kilometers) west of Luzon island, has long been a subject of dispute between China and the Philippines. Despite lying within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, the feature, which Manila refers to the feature as Bajo de Masinloc, has been under Chinese control since a protracted stand-off between the two countries in 2012. It has been the subject of frequent incidents over the past few years, most of them focusing on Chinese efforts to prevent Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal’s internal lagoon.
In December of last year, Chinese vessels fired a water cannon and side-swiped a boat from the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that was transporting supplies to Filipino fishermen operating at the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
The incident reflects the seriousness of the confrontations that have become routine in Philippine-claimed portions of the South China Sea, where the CCG has used a range of tactics, including high-pressure water cannons, and perilous ramming operations, to assert its claim over the area. In most of these cases, the CCG has accused the Philippine vessels of operating illegally within Chinese waters, depicting its response as a mere law enforcement operation.
According to the BBC, the CCG confirmed that a confrontation took place and accused the Philippines of “forcibly intruding” into Chinese waters, and said that it took “all necessary measures” to drive the Philippine vessels away, “in accordance with the law.” However, it did not mention any collision between the vessels.
The incident is also instructive, some Philippine analysts say, about which is most responsible for the recent string of dangerous high-seas incidents. After past collisions, Beijing has often accused the Philippines of responsibility for the incidents, or for making “bogus accusations in an attempt to mislead international understanding,” as it did after the incident at Scarborough Shoal in December. As the national security analyst Justin Basquial posted on X, over images of the damaged CCG vessel, “This is why the Philippines will and should not be gaslighted as to who is the provocateur here.”
In a later statement on X, Tarriela said that the PCG had “consistently urged” the Chinese authorities to respect international conventions for preventing collisions at sea, “especially considering their role in enforcing maritime laws.”
“We have also emphasized that such reckless behavior at sea could ultimately lead to accidents,” he said.