Philippine officials say a Chinese coast guard ship and an accompanying vessel rammed a Philippine coast guard ship and a military-run supply boat near a contested shoal. The encounter has heightened fears of an armed conflict in the disputed South China Sea. A top Philippine security official told The Associated Press there were no injuries among the Filipino crew members and an assessment of the damage to both vessels was underway. The incidents occurred near Second Thomas Shoal, where China has repeatedly tried to isolate a Philippine marine outpost. China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea, including over islands closer to Philippine shore, have raised tensions. The United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, condemned the incidents.
