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2d ago

China Masses Ships at Scarborough Shoal After Collision

Manila reports a larger Chinese presence near the reef, opting to keep navy warships away.

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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) pulls away from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) after conducting a fueling-at-sea while underway in the Pacific Ocean, November 7, 2024.
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Overview

  • Philippine officials say seven China Coast Guard cutters and 13 maritime militia vessels are now near Scarborough Shoal, compared with one Philippine patrol ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
  • Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows a China Coast Guard cutter colliding with a Chinese navy frigate during a chase of a Philippine vessel, leaving the cutter’s bow heavily damaged.
  • China’s state media published footage it says shows the PLA Navy challenging the USS Higgins near the shoal, a claim the U.S. Seventh Fleet rejects as false following a lawful freedom-of-navigation operation.
  • Philippine authorities state they are maintaining a measured approach in their exclusive economic zone and will refrain from deploying navy warships to the area.
  • Manila and Washington are discussing potential placement of NMESIS coastal anti-ship launchers, and a Chinese J-15 was reported to have closely intercepted a Philippine patrol aircraft over the shoal.