The Philippine Coast Guard announced that one of its vessels sustained damage after colliding with a Chinese Coast Guard ship while undertaking a supply mission in the South China Sea. Brigadier General Jay Tarriela from the Philippine Coast Guard stated in a post on X platform that a ship from the Chinese Coast Guard, accompanied by a group of vessels, engaged in "dangerous maneuvers" and "interference" that resulted in a collision causing "minor damage" to the hull of the Philippine Coast Guard ship. He noted that the ship "BRP Sindangan" and a second vessel were deployed to "support the rotation and resupply of the Philippine Armed Forces" in the area.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, disregarding a number of Southeast Asian countries bordering the sea and an international ruling denying its claims. The Chinese Coast Guard declared on Tuesday in a statement that it had "taken control measures" against what it described as an "illegal incursion" of Philippine vessels in a disputed part of the South China Sea. The statement said, "On March 5, the Chinese Coast Guard took control measures according to the law against illegal intrusions by Philippine vessels in waters adjacent to Ren’ai Jiao Reef in the Chinese Nansha Islands." "Ren’ai Jiao" is the Chinese name for "Second Thomas Shoal" within the Spratly Islands, which Beijing refers to as "Nansha." This collision is the second incident of its kind since December, when Chinese vessels sprayed water hoses at Philippine military boats.
