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Current Affairs

Chinese and Philippine maritime forces clash at Second Thomas Shoal

Beijing and Manila have exchanged fresh accusations over a clash in the South China Sea, just as China’s top diplomat is due to attend the…

By Samantha Johnson / July 20, 2026
Beijing and Manila have exchanged fresh accusations over a clash in the South China Sea, just as China’s top diplomat is due to attend the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting in the Philippines.
On social media late on Monday, the China Coast Guard said that at around 9am that morning as a small Chinese coastguard vessel was patrolling near Second Thomas Shoal, two rubber dinghies were launched “illegally” from the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre, a vessel grounded on the shoal by Manila about 27 years ago.

The Philippine vessels “ignored our repeated and explicit warnings, rapidly approached in a dangerous manner and rammed the Chinese patrol vessel from the front”, the China Coast Guard said.

During the incident, Philippine personnel “first used tools such as oars and long sticks to maliciously attack Chinese law enforcement officers”, the Chinese agency said.

The Chinese side “took measures in accordance with laws and regulations – including issuing verbal warnings, manoeuvring to avoid the vessel, and implementing reciprocal countermeasures – to stabilise the situation on the ground, exercising the utmost rationality and restraint”.

It accused the Philippine side of “distorting the facts and falsely incriminating China” following the incident, and demanded that the Philippines “immediately cease its infringements, provocations and false propaganda”.

The China Coast Guard would “continue to carry out law enforcement activities to safeguard its rights” in the South China Sea and would “resolutely uphold the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”, it said.

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