China, Philippines clash over South China Sea ship collision

A maritime mishap in the South China Sea has sparked a wave of blame between China and the Philippines after two ships collided on Monday, June 17. The incident occurred near the highly disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

China claims a Philippine supply ship entered its waters “deliberately and dangerously,” and collided with a Chinese vessel. Manila dismissed these allegations as “deceptive and misleading.”

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own, despite international law showing otherwise. This sea is a critical maritime route handling more than $3 trillion in annual trade.

Recently, China enacted laws allowing its coast guard to use lethal force and detain anyone suspected of trespassing in disputed waters for up to 60 days. The Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan have openly rejected this move.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, two speedboats were attempting to deliver construction materials to a Philippine military vessel stationed at the shoal — a territory also claimed by China. The ministry described its coast guard’s actions as “professional, restrained, reasonable, and lawful.”

“What I would like to point out is: On June 17, a Philippine replenishment ship and two speedboats entered the waters near Ren’ai Jiao (Second Thomas Shoal) of China’s Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) without the permission of the Chinese government, in an attempt to transport supplies, including construction materials, to the illegally grounded warship at Ren’ai Jiao,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters. “The Chinese Coast Guard took necessary measures to control the Philippine ships in accordance with the law, and the on-site operation was professional, restrained, reasonable and legal.”

U.S. ambassador to Manila, MaryKay L. Carlson, condemned China’s maneuvers as “aggressive and dangerous,” saying they resulted in injuries, damaged Philippine vessels, and disrupted the delivery of essential supplies to Philippine military personnel.

As diplomatic tensions grow, the U.S. and its allies, including Canada and Japan, showcased their naval capabilities in the South China Sea as part of Valiant Shield 2024. This multinational training exercise included a notable sinking drill where the decommissioned USS Cleveland was sunk with a demonstration of firepower conducted within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.