A Chinese warship and a Chinese coast guard vessel collided on Monday while pursuing a Philippine patrol ship near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in the latest escalation between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea.
By Jarryd Sinovich
According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the incident occurred as the Parola-class patrol vessel BRP Suluan (MRRV-4406) was delivering aid and fuel to Filipino fishing boats in the area. Video released by the PCG shows a Chinese Jiangdao-class coast guard cutter (hull number 3104) chasing the Suluan at high speed before colliding with a People’s Liberation Army Navy Type 052D guided-missile destroyer (hull number 164) that had maneuvered between the two vessels.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said the collision rendered the Chinese coast guard ship “unseaworthy” and claimed Beijing refused offers of assistance for any possible injuries or rescue operations. He added that the Suluan came under threat from a water cannon attack but successfully evaded it due to the crew’s seamanship.
The Suluan was operating alongside the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) to support around 35 Filipino fishing boats in the vicinity. Tarriela said the mission faced “hazardous maneuvers and blocking actions” from multiple Chinese vessels.
China’s Coast Guard confirmed a confrontation took place but did not acknowledge the collision. Spokesperson Gan Yu stated that Chinese forces “took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away.”
The South China Sea remains a flashpoint in regional tensions, with China maintaining a constant presence in areas claimed by the Philippines as part of its exclusive economic zone. In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that Beijing’s sweeping maritime claims have no legal basis—a decision China has rejected.
