US Backs Philippines In South China Sea Collision

On Sunday, a dangerous standoff unfolded in the disputed waters of the South China Sea as a Chinese ship collided with a Filipino supply boat. This incident has escalated tensions in the region, prompting the United States to warn China against increased aggression.

In what turned into a dramatic face-off, over a dozen Chinese vessels faced off against four Filipino vessels in the Second Thomas Shoal, resulting in a collision between two boats. The Beijing and the Philippines governments have pointed fingers, accusing each other of aggression.

The U.S. quickly condemned China’s actions, firmly stating that it would defend the Philippines as per their mutual defense treaty. “The United States stands with our Philippine allies,” declared a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. The statement also accused the People’s Republic of China Coast Guard and maritime militia of violating international law by intentionally interfering with the Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation.

Furthermore, the U.S. reiterated its commitment to the Philippines as per the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. “The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft — including those of its Coast Guard — anywhere in the South China Sea,” read the statement.

While China claims the South China Sea as its territory, the U.S. maintains that China has “no legal basis” to conduct maritime operations in the Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The confrontation began when Filipino Coast Guard ships and vessels delivering supplies to an outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal encountered a blockade of five Chinese coast guard ships, two naval vessels, and eight accompanying boats. This resulted in two collisions: one between a Filipino supply boat and a Chinese coast guard ship and another between a Chinese naval vessel and a Filipino coast guard ship.

Despite the heated exchange, no injuries were reported from either incident.

In addition to the U.S., other countries such as Canada and Japan, as well as the European Union, have expressed support for the Philippines and voiced their concerns over the collision. This incident marks another chapter in the ongoing maritime disputes between China and the Philippines, with both nations having had several run-ins in the South China Sea in recent months, particularly near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.