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The Philippines has announced that they will be suspending a scientific survey being conducted in the South China Sea due to “aggressive” and “dangerous harassment” from Chinese coastguard vessels.
Some shit you should know before you read: For years, China and the Philippines have been locked in a heated territorial dispute over the South China Sea, a strategic waterway rich in resources and crucial for global trade. China claims nearly the entire sea, specifying its claims with the controversial “nine-dash line,” which overlaps with the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and its claims over areas such as the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. The Philippines, backed by a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, argues that China’s expansive claims have no legal basis, a decision that China refuses to recognize. This has led to numerous confrontations, including boat rammings, the use of water cannons by Chinese vessels to block Filipino fishing boats, and even physical altercations between crews.

What’s going on now: In an announcement, the Philippines Coast Guard confirmed the suspension of a scientific survey in the South China Sea after a confrontation with Chinese forces near Sandy Cay, a disputed area close to the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the Spratly Islands. The survey, conducted by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries, aimed to collect sand samples as part of the scientific research project. The operation was disrupted when three Chinese coastguard ships, four smaller boats, and a navy helicopter made aggressive maneuvers, including the helicopter hovering at an unsafe altitude over Philippine inflatable boats. Videos released by the coastguard show Chinese ships approaching dangerously close to Philippine vessels, forcing the survey mission to be called off.
China, claiming the area as part of its “indisputable sovereignty,” accused the Philippine vessels of illegal entry and landings on the cay, escalating the long-running maritime tensions.
This comes as the Philippines recently moved to bolster its maritime defense in response to China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea. The new strategy now replaces “lone wolf” naval patrols with coordinated “Surface Action Groups” (SAGs) of multiple warships. These groups will deploy ships with advanced capabilities, including anti-submarine warfare, to patrol contested waters and assert Philippine sovereignty.