Jay Tarriela

At around 7:30 a.m., as BRP Cabra approached within nine nautical miles north of Ayungin Shoal, CCG vessel 5306 activated its water cannon while shadowing the Philippine ship

The vessels eventually withdrew after the Coast Guard deployed a rubber boat to challenge their presence

CNN was given exclusive access aboard a vessel belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, on a mission to resupply fuel for local fishermen near Scarborough Shoal, a sandbar claimed by both Beijing and Manila

A day after its Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) water cannoned a medical team from the Philippine Navy treating an injured personnel, the CCG this time attacked a routine food mission being undertaken by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels at the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on Friday

Manila and Beijing trade blame after water cannon clash near Scarborough Shoal

The academic symposium on the sovereignty issue of the Batanes Islands was convened at Jinan University in South China's Guangdong Province, drawing dozens of experts and scholars in maritime affairs from leading Chinese universities and research institutions

OPPOSITION party-list Akbayan on Friday called on the government to formulate and implement an “operational, actionable, and time-bound strategy to remove all illegal Chinese structures and installations within Philippine waters.”

Scarborough Shoal—known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Island in China—is one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the South China Sea dispute

It came after Manila lodged a formal diplomatic protest on Tuesday against what it called the “illegal presence” of a floating structure in Scarborough Shoal

Philippine authorities have released images of structures at a disputed reef they believe were placed there by China

AFP backs civilian mission to Pag-asa

Scarborough is one of Asia's most hotly disputed maritime sites, where ‌some diplomats and analysts fear long-running frictions and confrontations could degenerate into armed conflict

Chinese officials did not immediately react the Philippines' opening of its coast guard district command on Thitu Island, which has been occupied by Filipino forces and civilians for decades but is also claimed by Beijing

Five were spotted at Escoda Shoal, including three navy ships and two coast guard vessels, while another eight were seen near Pag-asa Island, composed of one navy ship and seven coast guard vessels

Manhit cited Philippine Coast Guard data recording 64 illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions against Philippine missions or vessels in 2025 alone

A veteran South China Sea expert has cast doubt on the prospects of finalising a code of conduct for the contested waters this year, even as ties between rival claimants Beijing and Manila show signs of improvement

One such program allowed Chinese investors to purchase condominiums if they had a permanent residence visa under the Special Investor Resident Visa (SIRV) scheme

Three vessels — two PLA-N ships and one CCG vessel — were seen in Escoda Shoal, and two more — one PLA-N and one CCG — were detected near Pag-asa Island

Instead, it was seen as a thorn by anti-China forces in the Philippines

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has expressed concern over a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Manila which linked potential job losses in the Philippines to the tensions between Manila and Beijing, urging the embassy to exercise caution in its tone and language

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment

Territorial disputes have often led to clashes between Chinese and Philippine maritime forces, including the use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers between vessels

The Philippine coast guard has released footage showing one of its patrol planes exchanging radio challenges with a Chinese warship on Tuesday in contested waters of the South China Sea

The crucial waterway, which Beijing claims historic rights to despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, has been the site of repeated clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels

China firmly rejects unfounded and misleading statement issued by the Philippine National Maritime Council

The Philippines coast guard on Tuesday intercepted a Chinese deep-sea research vessel operating in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in a possible violation of maritime law