Chinese Ships Collide While Chasing Philippines Naval Vessel

A Chinese navy warship collided with a China Coast Guard vessel while both were pursuing a Philippines patrol boat near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine coast guard said Monday, releasing video of the confrontation.

The incident happened as the BRP Suluan escorted boats delivering aid to fishermen in the area, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesman, said in a statement.

Video footage released by Manila showed the China Coast Guard ship CCG 3104 and a larger vessel with the hull number 164 making contact with a loud crash. Tarriela said the CCG 3104, “chasing the BRP Suluan at high speed,” made a “risky manoeuvre” on the Philippine ship’s starboard side, causing it to collide with the People’s Liberation Army Navy warship.

“This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,” Tarriela said, adding that the Chinese crew “never responded” to an offer of assistance.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately comment.

Earlier in the encounter, the BRP Suluan was “targeted with a water cannon” by the Chinese ship but avoided it, according to Tarriela.

The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, has been a flashpoint between Beijing and Manila since China took control of it in 2012. The shoal lies in the South China Sea, through which more than 60% of global maritime trade passes.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling rejecting its claims. The Philippines and several other nations dispute Beijing’s stance, with confrontations in the region growing more frequent.

It was unclear if there were any injuries in Monday’s collision.