Tensions Rise In Philippines-China Dispute

The Philippines said, on March 5, that China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine vessels and water cannoned a boat, leaving four crew injured during a resupply mission in the South China Sea.

The incidents happened in waters around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, where the countries have contested maritime claims.

Tensions in the South China Sea have risen over the past year, with Manila accusing Beijing of taking dangerous actions against its boats and lodging multiple diplomatic protests.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.