Overview

• Chinese vessels used water cannons and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine patrol ships near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed area in the South China Sea.
• The Philippines accused China of sideswiping one of its vessels and blocking its routine patrols to protect local fishermen in its exclusive economic zone.
• China claims Scarborough Shoal as its territory, asserting its actions were lawful, while the Philippines and the U.S. denounce them as illegal and provocative.
• The U.S. reaffirmed its defense treaty with the Philippines, condemning China's actions and emphasizing support for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• This clash follows heightened tensions as China recently submitted new territorial baselines to the UN, which the Philippines has rejected as baseless under international law.