PREVIEW

This video footage shows a troubling incident that occurred between Chinese and Filipino forces in the South China Sea on Monday (17June2024).

General Romeo Brawner Jr, head of the Philippine armed forces likened the incident to piracy and accused the Chinese of repeatedly ramming, then boarding vessels on Monday.
The confrontation occurred as the Philippines attempted to resupply a territorial outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal, a region also claimed by Beijing.
The incident marks a significant escalation in hostilities around the Shoal, where the Philippines established an outpost in 1999.
In this footage released by the Philippine military, Chinese personnel can be seen brandishing machetes, knives, axes, hammers, and sticks while surrounding Filipino supply boats.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement: “The CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) swarmed AFP's Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) already moored alongside BRP Sierra Madre (LS57), escalating their aggression by wielding pointed weapons and explicitly threatening to harm Filipino troops.
“The CCG personnel then began hurling rocks and other objects at our personnel. They also slashed the RHIBs, rendering them inoperable. All the while, the blaring sirens were being employed non-stop.
“The CCG continued its relentless harassment of AFP troops through a series of aggressive actions. These include physical attacks, the use of bladed weapons, the constant blaring of sirens to create disorientation, and the deployment of blinding strobe lights to impair the vision and coordination of the Filipino soldiers.”
According to Filipino officials, one of their soldiers lost his right thumb, and several others were injured as Chinese forces seized weapons, navigation equipment, and other supplies.
The confrontation has led to heightened tensions around the South China Sea, as China blamed the Philippines for the confrontation, claiming that Filipino personnel "trespassed" into the shoal and ignored their warnings.
The incident has prompted the United States to reiterate its defense commitment to the Philippines, its ally. China asserts widespread claims over the waters despite being ruled against at an international tribunal in 2016.
Tensions have also been fuelled by China’s claims to Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, where forces opposed to the Chinese Communist Party fled during the country’s civil war.