China and the Philippines are embroiled in escalating tensions following accusations of ramming incidents involving coast guard vessels in the contested South China Sea. The Philippines alleges that a Chinese ship “directly and intentionally rammed” its vessel, while China claims the Philippines deliberately collided with a Chinese ship.
This latest incident, occurring near the Sabina Shoal, adds to a series of confrontations over territorial disputes between the two nations. In the past two weeks alone, there have been at least three significant maritime clashes involving both countries’ vessels in the region.
The Sabina Shoal, known as Xianbin Jiao in China and Escoda Shoal in the Philippines, is situated approximately 75 nautical miles from the Philippine west coast and 630 nautical miles from mainland China. The South China Sea is a critical shipping corridor, facilitating over $3 trillion in trade annually. China asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire sea, conflicting with claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
In response to the latest altercation, China’s coast guard has urged the Philippines to vacate the Sabina Shoal, vowing to “resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance, and infringement.” The Philippines Coast Guard has firmly stated that its vessel, the Teresa Magbanua, will not be moved despite what they describe as harassment and aggressive actions by Chinese forces.
While no casualties were reported from the collision, Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela indicated that the 97-meter Teresa Magbanua suffered damage after being “hit several times” by a Chinese vessel.
Amid increasing tensions, the U.S. has voiced criticism of China’s actions in the region. The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines condemned what she characterized as “dangerous violations of international law,” reaffirming America’s support for the Philippines in upholding these legal standards.
China has consistently attributed rising tensions to the Philippines and its alliance with the United States. Recently, a defense ministry spokesperson accused the U.S. of “emboldening” the Philippines to engage in provocative actions.
Experts are concerned that the ongoing disputes could lead to a larger confrontation in the South China Sea. Previous efforts by the Philippines to involve the United Nations in conflicts have highlighted a ruling stating that China’s extensive claims within its so-called “nine-dash line” are without legal basis—an assertion that Beijing has rejected.
Despite these tensions, there were recent attempts by both nations to reduce immediate conflicts at sea, including an agreement allowing the Philippines to resupply its outpost in the Second Thomas Shoal without incident.
