Chinese navy and coast guard vessels collide while pursuing Philippine patrol boat in South China Sea

In Facebook videos shared by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel is seen crashing into the port bow of a larger Chinese navy vessel

A video posted by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela shows a Chinese Coast Guard vessel crashing into the port bow of a People's Liberation Army Navy warship on Monday (Aug 11).
PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Jay Tarriela

August 11, 2025 

BY Sean Ler

AsiaOne

Two Chinese government vessels collided while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat in the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Monday (Aug 11).

The Philippine Coast Guard also released four footages, including one showing the two vessels colliding behind its patrol boat.

A coast guard spokesperson said the incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine patrol boat was carrying out an operation to assist some 35 Filipino fishing vessels.


"During the operation, Philippine vessels and fishermen encountered hazardous manoeuvres and blocking actions from other vessels in the vicinity," said PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.

The spokesperson also claimed that one of the PCG boats was targeted with a water cannon. None of the videos posted by the spokesperson showed a water cannon used on the Philippine Coast Guard boats, although in one video, a water cannon on the starboard (right) side of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel was seen in operation. SCREENGRAB: Facebook/Jay Tarriela

It is not known if any crew onboard the two Chinese vessels were hurt in the incident.

In another video, the same Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship was seen colliding into the port bow (left side of the forward part of ship) of a much larger vessel bearing the pennant number 164. A loud crashing sound was also heard.

The larger vessel is a Luyang III class destroyer.

"The 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 (right aft of the ship), 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 added.

AFP quoted Gan Yu, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, as saying that a confrontation on Monday had taken place without mentioning the collision.

"The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away," he said in a statement to AFP.


This is the latest in a series of frequent encounters in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. It comes just three days after China accused Philippines of "playing with fire" following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's comment that the Philippines would be drawn into any conflict between China and the US over Taiwan.

In 2016, a UN arbitration tribunal ruled against all of China's claims to the reefs in the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal.


AsiaOne has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines for comment.