Tension in the South China Sea: While pursuing a Philippine ship, a Chinese warship collided with its own coast guard vessel

An incident on the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea left a Chinese warship inoperable after colliding with its own coast guard vessel while pursuing a Philippine ship, according to reports from BBC News. The event, which occurred Monday, intensifies tensions between China and the Philippines in a region marked by territorial disputes.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, explained that the clash occurred while his troops were distributing aid to fishermen in Scarborough, an area under Chinese control since 2012. According to Tarriela, a Chinese coast guard vessel performed a "risky maneuver" that caused a collision with a warship of its own fleet, causing "substantial damage" to the latter's forward deck, rendering it unseaworthy. No details were reported on possible injuries.

A video released by Manila shows the Chinese Coast Guard vessel firing water cannons toward the Philippine ship before making a sharp turn and crashing noisily into the warship.

The Philippine Coast Guard condemned the action, urging Chinese authorities to respect international conventions. "We have also emphasized that such reckless behavior at sea could ultimately lead to accidents," Tarriela said.

For its part, China confirmed the confrontation, but accused the Philippines of "forcibly intruding" waters it claims as its own, without mentioning the collision. The Chinese Coast Guard assured that it acted "in accordance with the law" and took "all necessary measures" to drive the Philippine vessels away.