Filipino soldiers reportedly fought off Chinese coast guard personnel using “bare hands” against swords, spears, and knives in the disputed South China Sea, according to General Romeo Brawner, the Philippines’ top military commander. The confrontation occurred as the Philippines navy and coast guard were delivering supplies to troops stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic and contested area.
Video from June 17 incident in which several Filipino soldiers were injured & one even lost his thumb. Chinese Coast Guard boats are seen chasing PH resupply vessels & a CCG Vessel is seen deliberately ramming into a PH boat. 1/3 @GordianKnotRay @ElbridgeColby @PingpingTweets pic.twitter.com/XCavnPEqns
— Michael Turner (@Michael71T) June 19, 2024
General Brawner condemned China’s actions as “reckless and aggressive,” highlighting that this incident marked the first time Filipino troops had encountered Chinese forces using such weapons in the region. He reported that Chinese personnel rammed Philippine vessels, boarded them, and attacked the soldiers, resulting in injuries, including one soldier losing a thumb.
WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT
CHINA AGGRESSION: Photo shows the hand of a Filipino soldier who lost his thumb when a China Coast Guard inflatable boat rammed into a Philippine boat in a melee during a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, June 17 @gmanews @24orasgma pic.twitter.com/FnQDHgtVVR
— Joseph Morong 🇵🇠(@Joseph_Morong) June 19, 2024
The skirmish involved the Chinese coast guard ramming and damaging Philippine boats, seizing weapons, and destroying equipment, including motors and inflatable vessels. General Brawner criticized the Chinese coast guard’s actions as a “blatant violation of international maritime law, Philippine sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” likening the incident to piracy. He also shared photos showing the damaged boats and Chinese personnel wielding blades.
The Philippines government accused China of escalating tensions through these aggressive maneuvers. In a statement, Manila’s national task force on the West Philippine Sea detailed that vessels from the People’s Liberation Army-Navy, China Coast Guard, and Chinese Maritime Militia engaged in “dangerous maneuvers,” including ramming and towing.
The U.S. State Department condemned China’s actions as “escalatory and irresponsible,” reaffirming that the mutual defense treaty with the Philippines would apply to any armed attacks on Philippine forces in the South China Sea. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, described China’s maneuvers as “aggressive” and “dangerous,” noting that the collision caused bodily injury.
China, however, denied responsibility for the incident. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that their personnel acted with restraint and were responding to “illegal transportation” of supplies by the Philippines. The Chinese coast guard maintained that their law enforcement measures were professional, and they blamed the Philippines for the collision, accusing Filipino troops of ignoring warnings and approaching their vessel dangerously.
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