Chase gone wrong: Chinese naval vessel rams its own Coast Guard ship while pursuing Philippine boat

Economic Times

4 hours ago

A Chinese naval ship collided with its own coast guard vessel while pursuing a Philippine boat near Scarborough Shoal, escalating tensions in the disputed South China Sea. The incident, captured on video, has sparked international concern and embarrassment for China. This event highlights the increasing maritime conflicts and the potential for broader regional implications.
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A Chinese naval ship crashed into its own coast guard ship while chasing a Philippine boat in the South China Sea. This was a shocking and dramatic turn of events. The strange crash has added another chapter to the already heated territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila.The Philippine Coast Guard shared a video of the incident, which is making waves around the world because of its political implications and the fact that it has embarrassed China's maritime forces.The Philippine Coast Guard said that the Chinese move hurt the warship a lot. The fight shows that tensions are rising in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.On Monday, a Chinese warship crashed into its own coast guard ship while both ships were chasing a Philippine boat in waters that are not clearly defined. It looked like something out of a naval blooper reel. The Philippine Coast Guard says the incident happened at Scarborough Shoal , which is a hot spot in the long-running South China Sea dispute , as quoted in a report by The BBC.Philippine officials said they were on a humanitarian mission to help local fishermen when the Chinese coast guard did what they called a "risky maneuver." They say that sudden move made the Chinese coast guard ship crash into a much bigger Chinese navy ship. The impact reportedly caused a lot of damage to the warship's forward deck, making it "unseaworthy."The Philippines released video showing the Chinese coast guard firing water cannons at a Philippine ship before quickly turning and crashing into one of its own warships. The loud crash echoed across the water, making it one of the strangest things to happen at sea in the area in a long time.China's official statements did not directly say that the two ships collided. Instead, Chinese officials said that the Philippines "forcibly intruded" into waters that they say are Chinese. Their coast guard said that everything they did was "in accordance with the law" and necessary to get rid of Philippine ships.On the other hand, the Philippine Coast Guard sees things differently. Commodore Jay Tarriela said that Manila has "consistently urged" China to follow international maritime laws and settle disagreements in a responsible way. He said that this kind of careless behavior "could ultimately lead to accidents," and he was right much sooner than he thought.The two countries have fought at sea before. In December, the Philippines said that China's coast guard shot water cannons at and sideswiped a government ship while patrolling near the same shoal. Beijing, on the other hand, said that Manila was making "bogus accusations" to sway public opinion around the world.Since China took control of Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012, it has been the center of maritime tensions. The shoal is a triangle-shaped chain of reefs and rocks. The shoal has a lot of fish and is in a good spot in the South China Sea, which is where about $3 trillion in global trade passes each year.Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan all claim parts of the sea, so the territorial dispute goes beyond just China and the Philippines. But the fights between Beijing and Manila have gotten worse in the last few years, going from water cannon blasts to fights with swords, spears, and even hand-to-hand combat, as per a report by The BBC.Reports say that in June 2024, Filipino soldiers fought off Chinese coast guard officers armed with knives with their "bare hands." One Filipino soldier lost a thumb in that fight, which shows how dangerous these fights can be.In the South China Sea, close to Scarborough Shoal.So far, no injuries have been confirmed.