On Sunday, October 22, 2023, in the South China sea, a Chinese ship and a Philippine ship collided. The next day, the two countries started blaming each other for the collision. Officials from the Philippine navy even said that Chinese ships were using “dangerous blocking maneuvers” in a public statement on Monday, October 23. Then on Sunday, the Philippine task force reported that a Chinese maritime militia vessel collided with a Philippine Coast Guard ship.
In an interview with CNN news by , and , a spokesperson for the Philippine government said “China as a major power bears a heavier responsibility of contributing to peace and stability in the region.” The U.S. has also gotten involved in the matters, President Biden telling China not to engage in warfare this week.
In another press conference in the U.S. was held on the same day of the collision where a US State Department spokesperson said, “The unsafe maneuvers on October 22 and the PRC water cannoning of a Philippines’ vessel on August 5 are the latest examples of provocative PRC measures in the South China Sea to enforce its expansive and unlawful maritime claims, reflecting disregard for other states lawfully operating in the region.” The spokesperson refers to China as the PRC.
Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippines National Security Council said in a press conference on Monday that a Philippines ship was damaged, but no one on board was injured. In another incident on September 25 of this year, the Philippines posted a video of one of their divers cutting the rope to a shoal owned by the Chinese military.
