Territorial disputes between Manila and Beijing in the Sea of Southern China have given rise to several incidents – sometimes serious – between Philippine ships and those of the Chinese Coast Guard in recent months, especially around the Scarborough and Atoll Second Thomas reef, where a section of the infantry of the Philippine Navy holds garrison in the BRP Sierra Madre World War II.
In 2012, after having deployed flutters of fishing ships belonging to his maritime militia [PAFMM – People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia] Under the protection of its coastal guard, China has taken control of the Filipino reef in Scarborough. Which led Manila to seize the permanent arbitration courtyard [CPA] of the Hague who, in 2016, proved him right, believing that the claims of Beijing in the Sea of Southern China were based on “no legal basis”.
Anyway, there is no question for China to withdraw from the Scarborough reef … and for the Philippines to give up its territory. Hence the incidents regularly occurring between the Chinese and Philippin coast guard, with fishermen in the middle.
Thus, for example, in April 2024, three patrollers of the Chinese Coast Guard spurred two ships implemented by the Coast Guard [PCG] And the Filipino Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Office before using water cannons against them.
In Beijing, this “muscular” action was justified by arguing that the Filipino ships had carried out “dangerous maneuvers”, to the point of obliging the Chinese coast guard “to use water cannons to warn them”.
WATCH: Video shows exact moment a China Coast Guard collided with Philippine vessel BRP Datu Bangkaw near Scarborough Shoal, Tuesday, April 30. @News5PH pic.twitter.com/ughvD6yC2Z
— Gio Robles (@_GioRobles) April 30, 2024
Other incidents of this type occurred later, not only in the vicinity of the Scarborough reef but also in those of the Sabina bench and the second Thomas atoll.
But the one that occurred this August 11 is singular … while thirty-five Philippin fishing boats had just gathered around the Scarborough reef in order to be supplied by the ships BRP Teresa Magbanua, BRP Suluan and MV Pamamalakaya, a patroller n ° 3104 of the Chinese coastal guard intervened to prevent this operation, destroyer »type 052D of the naval component of the People’s Liberation Army [APL]in this case the CNS Guilin.
PCG Implements Kadiwa Operation in Bajo de Masinloc and Offers Assistance to CCG Following Maritime Incident
In Response to the Presence of Around 35 Filipino Fishing Vessels in Bajo de Masinloc, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Suluan,. pic.twitter.com/5Hqkye1zli
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 11, 2025
However, launched in pursuit, at “high speed”, of the BRP Suluan, implemented by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Chinese patroller collided with the type 052D destroyer, the latter having cut him off, about 10.5 nautical from the reef reef [appelé Bajo de Masinloc aux Philippines].
The “CCG 3104 ccg 3104 patroller on the starboard side of the BRP Suluan, which led him to collide with a warship of the APL navy. The important damage he suffered in his bow made him unfit for navigation, “said the Coastal Guard of the Philippines, before specifying that she had proposed his assistance, notably medical, for the members of the Chinese crew likely to have been injured during the shock.
For the moment, the Chinese authorities have not made any comments on this incident.
Anyway, tensions between Manila and Beijing have been crescendo for a few months. Also, the Philippine government endeavors to strengthen its military ties with several countries in the Indopacific region, such as Japan, Australia, India, the United States and … France.