The Chinese Coast Guard announced on Monday that it had intercepted and expelled several Philippine vessels operating near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory in the South China Sea. According to Chinese authorities, the operation was carried out in what they described as a professional, standardized, legitimate, and legal manner after the Philippine vessels allegedly ignored repeated warnings.
The Philippine embassy in Beijing has yet to comment on the incident. Scarborough Shoal, located about 120 nautical miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon, has been a long-standing flashpoint between China and the Philippines, with both sides claiming sovereignty over the area. China seized control of the shoal in 2012, despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, a decision China rejects.
Hours before China’s announcement, the Philippines released video footage showing a collision between two Chinese vessels—a coast guard cutter (CCG-3104) and a People's Liberation Army Navy ship—while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat. The footage captured the coast guard vessel maneuvering at high speed, striking the navy vessel and causing severe damage that rendered it unseaworthy. The Philippine patrol boat reportedly evaded a water cannon attack earlier in the encounter.
This is the latest in a series of confrontations near Scarborough Shoal. In June 2025, the Chinese Coast Guard also claimed to have expelled a Philippine vessel from the area using water cannons, justifying the move as necessary and lawful. Such incidents have raised concerns over the potential for further escalation, with analysts warning that continued aggressive tactics could lead to more dangerous clashes.
The South China Sea remains one of the most contested maritime regions in the world, with overlapping claims involving several nations. For the Philippines and China, Scarborough Shoal has become a symbol of the broader struggle over control, resources, and freedom of navigation in these strategic waters.