On August 11, 2025, tensions in the South China Sea flared when a Chinese navy warship collided with a China Coast Guard vessel during a pursuit of a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat near the contested Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippine vessel was escorting boats carrying supplies and aid to local fishermen when the incident unfolded.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the confrontation began when the China Coast Guard cutter CCG 3104 attempted an aggressive maneuver from the starboard side of the Philippine patrol ship.
In the process, it struck the Chinese warship numbered 164, which was operating in close proximity.
The collision tore into the cutter’s forward section, disabling it and forcing it out of action.
Earlier in the chase, Chinese personnel had deployed a water cannon against the Philippine ship, but the latter avoided the blast and continued on its mission.
Manila released video evidence of both the water cannon attack and the collision, framing the events as a show of disregard for safe navigation in the disputed waters.
Beijing later stated that its vessels were acting within their rights to drive Philippine ships away from the shoal.
The Philippine government rejected this, insisting that Scarborough Shoal lies within its exclusive economic zone and that its ships will continue to operate there.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the policy of maintaining a consistent presence in the area to safeguard maritime resources.
Philippine senators commended the coast guard’s handling of the confrontation and offered humanitarian assistance to Chinese crews injured or stranded as a result of the crash.
The event adds to a long list of recent run-ins in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims have kept tensions high and close calls between rival ships frequent.