PUBLISHED on August 11, 2025, 1:17 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary – A Chinese Navy destroyer and a Coast Guard cutter collided with each other on Monday during a high-speed chase of a Philippine patrol vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
-The Philippine ship was escorting a “Kadiwa Operation” aid convoy for local fishermen.
-Manila released video of the incident, which it called one of the most severe maritime clashes to date, stating the Chinese cutter was rendered “unseaworthy.”
-While Beijing acknowledged a confrontation and accused the Philippines of “forcibly intruding” into its waters, it did not confirm the collision between its own two vessels.
Crisis in the South China Sea?
A Chinese navy destroyer and a China Coast Guard cutter reportedly collided on Monday during a high-speed chase of a Philippine patrol vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, one of the most severe maritime incidents between Chinese forces to date.
The collision, confirmed by Manila, occurred when the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escorted boats delivering aid to local fishermen as part of the Kadiwa Operation, in its western exclusive economic zone.
According to PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3104 and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) destroyer Guilin attempted to block and pursue the BRP Suluan.
Video shared online, including by the Philippine government, appears to show the CCG cutter making a sharp turn from the Philippine vessel’s starboard side before crashing into the destroyer’s bow.
Immediately before the incident, Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels reportedly responded to reports of “hazardous maneuvers” and “harassment” by Chinese vessels against Philippine fishing vessels.
Tarriela said the collision caused “substantial damage” to the cutter’s forecastle, rendering it “unseaworthy.” Chinese crew members did not respond to the PCG’s offer of assistance, he also claimed. Before the incident, Suluan evaded an attempted water cannon strike by the CCG.
While China acknowledged a confrontation, an official spokesperson did not confirm that the collision had taken place.
“The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away,” China coastguard spokesman Gan Yu said.
Beijing accused Manila of “forcibly intruding” into Chinese waters, while the Philippines maintains that the shoal lies within its territory, citing the 2016 international tribunal rejecting China’s sweeping South China Sea claims.
Scarborough Shoal Crisis in the South China Sea?
The collision occurred roughly 10 nautical miles from the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular reef chain seized by China from the Philippines in 2012.
The area has since become a hotspot for conflict, with frequent maritime run-ins that have involved ramming, blocking, and the use of water cannons.
In recent years, some encounters have even turned violent. In 2024, a fight broke out at Second Thomas Shoal when Filipino troops fought off Chinese military personnel using spears and swords.
In December 2024, Manila claimed that the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at a government vessel, and deliberately “sideswiped” the vessel during a maritime patrol.
Beijing, however, claimed that the Philippine ships had come “dangerously close” to Chinese vessels and accused its government of making “bogus accusations in an attempt to mislead international understanding.”
No injuries were confirmed following the collision.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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