WATCH Video | Standoff At South China Sea: Chinese Coast Guard Attacks Philippine Navy Boats

Chinese coast guard personnel, onboard over eight motorboats, repeatedly rammed two Philippine Navy inflatable boats in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

They boarded the Philippine vessels and damaged them using machetes, knives, and hammers, marking a new round of confrontation between the two countries, as reported by India Today, citing AP.

Standoff At South China Sea - What Happens Next?

According to Filipino officials, the Philippine navy troops, who were attempting to transfer food, other supplies, and firearms to Filipino troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal, were attacked by Chinese personnel. The shoal is claimed by Beijing.

CCG personnel violently attached ropes to tow the AFPs RHIB while threatening to injure an AFP soldier w/ a pickaxe. They also employed blaring sirens to create chaos, disrupt communication, and divert the attention of AFP troops, exacerbating the hostile & dangerous situation. pic.twitter.com/a8cPaGGH8j

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024

Following an argument and repeated collisions, Chinese Coast Guard personnel boarded the Philippine navy vessels, seizing eight M4 rifles that were packed in cases, along with navigation equipment and other supplies, according to two Filipino security officials who spoke to The Associated Press. Several Filipino navy personnel were injured during the clash, including one who lost his right thumb.

The CCG launched a brutal assault on the AFP personnel aboard an AFP Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), aggressively ramming it and brandishing bladed and pointed weapons, explicitly threatening to harm AFP troops. pic.twitter.com/LuFgLE3WJj

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024

Videos posted by the Philippine military show Chinese troops pointing knives at the Filipino navy personnel and surrounding the two Philippine navy supply boats with their ships. Sirens are heard blaring as the troops from both sides yell at each other. The Chinese personnel are seen smashing the Filipino boats with poles and grabbing them with what appears to be a bag on a stick.

The CCG swarmed AFPs Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) already moored alongside BRP Sierra Madre (LS57), escalating their aggression by wielding pointed weapons and explicitly threatening to harm Filipino troops. pic.twitter.com/huEPCBXPah

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024

General Romeo Brawner Jr., head of the Philippine armed forces, condemned the actions of the Chinese troops, describing them as "pirates" for boarding the Philippine boats illegally and seizing equipment. He demanded that China return the rifles and equipment and compensate for the damages caused.

At a press conference in Palawan province, where he awarded a medal to an injured navy officer for bravery, Brawner Jr. emphasized that the Filipino navy troops, despite being outnumbered and faced with unexpected weapons, fought back with their bare hands and resisted the Chinese personnel's blows.

The CCG continued its relentless harassment of AFP troops through a series of aggressive actions. pic.twitter.com/EvevDjSyPQ

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) June 19, 2024

In a statement on Facebook, Brawner Jr. praised the resilience of the Filipino navy troops, stating that their objective was to prevent war. The Philippine Foreign Ministry issued a statement denouncing the "illegal and aggressive actions" of Chinese authorities that resulted in injuries and vessel damage.

China, in response, blamed the Philippines for the skirmish, asserting that Filipino navy troops had "trespassed" into the shoal despite repeated warnings from the Chinese Coast Guard. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the Chinese coast guard had taken professional law-enforcement measures with restraint aimed at stopping the illegal supply mission by the Philippine vessels and no direct measures were taken against the Philippine personnel, as reported by India Today.

The United States, which has a contentious relationship with China, stated that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its ally. Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal, is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, claimed by China, as reported by India Today.

Other countries, including Taiwan and Vietnam, also have territorial claims in this busy waterway. The Philippine Navy maintains a presence on the Second Thomas Shoal by stationing less than a dozen marine personnel on the 100-meter-long World War II-era Philippine Navy landing craft 'Sierra Madre', which was deliberately run aground at the atoll in 1999 in response to China's reclamation of Mischief Reef.

The Philippines asserts that the atoll is part of its continental shelf, while parts of the Spratly Islands, where the Second Thomas Shoal is located, are claimed by China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.