Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash.
“The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel’s starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy warship,” Tarriela said.
“This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,” he said.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.
🚨🚨🚨🇨🇳#PLA Navy ship collision with #China Coast Guard ship while harassing 🇵🇭#Philippines mission at Scarborough Shoal! https://t.co/U1cB3cnGjZ
— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) August 11, 2025
More than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway.
The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks — has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday’s incident.
Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew “never responded” to the Filipino ship’s offer of assistance.
Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was “targeted with a water cannon” by the Chinese but “successfully” evaded it, Tarriela’s statement said.
Philippine President Warns Of Involvement In Taiwan Conflict
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos cautioned that a war over Taiwan would inevitably involve the Philippines, despite its desire to avoid conflict. He described the nation as being pulled “kicking and screaming” into such a scenario due to its proximity to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has threatened to take by force.
Speaking at a news conference, Marcos emphasized the need to prepare for this possibility, noting the significant number of Filipinos working in Taiwan. He reiterated in an earlier interview with Indian news outlet Firstpost during a visit to New Delhi that the Philippines’ geographic location makes neutrality impossible in a potential China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan.
“If there is an all-out war, then we will be drawn into it,” he stated.
Marcos’s remarks prompted a strong reaction from Beijing, with China’s foreign ministry lodging a diplomatic protest, accusing him of “playing with fire.” Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated due to disputes in the South China Sea, where Beijing’s expansive claims were ruled legally baseless by an international tribunal.
Since taking office in 2022, Marcos has strengthened ties with the United States, a key ally with a mutual defense treaty, amid ongoing regional tensions.
Via: Agence France-Presse
