Chinese Ship Rams Philippine Vessel in South China Sea

A Chinese Coast Guard ship rammed into a Philippine supply ship in the South China Sea on Sunday, marking an escalation in China’s belligerent efforts to dominate the maritime region.

The incident occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, an area well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone where its military maintains a small outpost. The Chinese also fired water cannons at Philippine vessels in the region.

This is a serious escalation on the part of the agents of the People’s Republic of China.
—Jonathan Malaya, Philippine National Security Council spokesman

Casting blame: China claims the Philippine ship purposefully rammed into its ship and disregarded multiple warnings from the Chinese Coast Guard. But video footage and the fact that the incident took place in Philippine waters show China to be the aggressor. And this is not the first time in recent memory such a Chinese provocation has happened.

Emboldened China: China is becoming bolder and bolder. With a weakening United States, Beijing sees no reason to restrain its worldwide ambitions. China is working to sway nations—especially those in the Indo-Pacific—to its side, whether by diplomacy or intimidation.

China is intimidating the nations of Southeast Asia into submission to its will. It is forcing these countries to do what it wants. Everything is headed in the direction of war.
—Gerald Flurry, Trumpet editor in chief

Learn more: Read “China Is Steering the World Toward War.”