MANILA, Philippines (BN24) — The United States has deployed two warships to disputed waters in the South China Sea after a collision between Chinese naval and coast guard vessels earlier this week during a high-stakes confrontation with a Philippine ship near Scarborough Shoal. The incident has heightened regional tensions and drawn sharp warnings from Washington, Manila, and allied nations over maritime safety and freedom of navigation in the contested waterway.
The guided missile destroyer USS Higgins and the littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati sailed within 30 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, shadowed closely by a Chinese navy vessel, Philippine coast guard officials confirmed. There were no reports of new confrontations during the U.S. transit, which came amid a surge in confrontations between Chinese and Philippine forces over the rich fishing grounds off the northwestern Philippines.
The move followed a collision on Monday, when a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship rammed into each other while attempting to block the Philippine coast guard vessel BRP Suluan. Philippine officials said the incident occurred just 10.5 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal — an area claimed by both China and the Philippines. Video released by Manila showed the Chinese coast guard firing water cannons at the smaller Philippine patrol ship before the naval vessel abruptly cut across its path, striking the bow of its own coast guard ship.
The collision left the Chinese coast guard vessel with a shattered bow and inflicted dents and deep scrapes on the Chinese navy warship. The Philippine coast guard said the incident underscores the risks posed by Beijing’s increasingly aggressive maneuvers in the contested waters, urging China to follow international maritime collision regulations.
China has accused the Philippines of “intruding” into its territory, with Chinese coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu telling state-run media that Manila ignored repeated warnings to leave the area. Scarborough Shoal, long a flashpoint in the South China Sea, is claimed by China, the Philippines, and several other countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
Japan, Australia, and New Zealand joined the Philippines and the United States in condemning what they described as “dangerous and unprofessional” conduct by Chinese vessels. Japanese Ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said repeated Chinese actions “increase tensions” and undermine the rule of law in the region, while the Australian Embassy called for “de-escalation, restraint and respect for international law.”
The U.S. Navy’s presence in the area is part of its long-running freedom-of-navigation operations aimed at challenging China’s sweeping territorial claims and entry restrictions in the South China Sea. Washington has warned repeatedly that under its mutual defense treaty with Manila, it is obligated to defend the Philippines if its armed forces come under attack in the region.
The tensions also come as Washington and Manila discuss expanding U.S. military deployments in the Philippines, including the possible stationing of more missile launchers in strategic locations to deter Chinese actions. Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said no final decision has been reached but confirmed it is part of ongoing defense cooperation talks.
Hours before the U.S. warships arrived near Scarborough, a Chinese fighter jet made a dangerously close pass — as close as 500 feet — to a Philippine coast guard surveillance aircraft carrying journalists. The Chinese pilot reportedly flew within 200 feet above the smaller plane during a 20-minute aerial standoff.
Scarborough Shoal remains one of the most volatile flashpoints in the South China Sea, a critical global trade route where overlapping claims and increasing militarization have made incidents like this week’s collision more frequent and dangerous.
