In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, a Chinese warship collided with its own coast guard ship while pursuing a Philippine vessel in the contested waters of the South China Sea. According to Philippine authorities, the incident happened as their coast guard was distributing aid to local fishermen near Scarborough Shoal, a site of longstanding territorial disputes between China and the Philippines. Commodore Jay Tarriela, from the Philippine coast guard, reported that this "risky manoeuvre" resulted in "substantial damage" to the Chinese warship.
While China confirmed a confrontation took place, it accused the Philippines of "forcibly intruding" into its waters, refraining from mentioning the collision itself. Tensions have been mounting in the region, with accusations flying between the two nations, particularly after China seized Scarborough Shoal in 2012.
Recent video footage from the Philippines showed a Chinese coast guard vessel using water cannons against the Philippine ship before crashing into the larger Chinese warship. The collision has rendered the Chinese vessel "unseaworthy", though there are no reports of injuries at this time.
Philippine officials have consistently urged China to respect international maritime laws amidst these disputes, emphasizing that reckless behavior could lead to serious accidents at sea. Conversely, China's coast guard claimed it was acting lawfully to drive Philippine vessels away.
This incident is just one among a series of dangerous skirmishes in the past two years, reinforcing the fragile and contentious relationship between the two nations.
