China accuses Philippine ship of ramming coast guard vessel near Scarborough Shoal

In September 2025, tensions escalated in the South China Sea as China's coast guard accused a Philippine ship of deliberately colliding with one of its vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan island in China. This incident occurred just six days after China announced the designation of part of Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve, a move that has been met with diplomatic protests from the Philippines, which refers to the area as Bajo de Masinloc. The Philippine government deployed coast guard and fisheries vessels to the shoal to assist local fishermen in need of supplies like fuel, water, and ice amidst rising tensions. The Chinese coast guard's statement indicated that over ten Philippine government ships entered the waters surrounding the shoal, prompting their action. In response, the Philippine coast guard reported that two Chinese vessels used powerful water cannons to damage a Filipino fisheries ship and injure a crew member. This report reveals how the incident is part of ongoing territorial disputes between China and the Philippines, which have a history of confrontations around various outcroppings in the South China Sea, an area rich in resources and vital for fishing. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized China's recent coercive actions as moves to assert its expansive claims over the South China Sea, further alienating China's neighbors. Several nations, including Great Britain and Australia, voiced concerns over China’s designation of the nature reserve, with Canada's embassy in the Philippines opposing the use of environmental measures to exert control in the region. The situation at Scarborough Shoal remains a flashpoint with implications for regional stability and international maritime laws, particularly given the strategic importance of the waters in question. Overall, the collision highlights the precarious nature of maritime relations in the region and the intensity of claims by both China and the Philippines over vital sea routes and resources. As diplomatic protests mount, the incident underscores a larger narrative of assertive national policies and the ongoing struggle for dominance in one of the world’s most contested maritime territories.