The South China Sea has become a focal point for escalating maritime confrontations, with two significant incidents occurring on August 12th and 13th, 2025. China's military announced on August 13th that its forces monitored and subsequently expelled the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Higgins from waters near the strategically vital Scarborough Shoal, stating the destroyer entered the area without authorization. This follows a reported collision on August 12th, where the Philippine military accused Chinese naval and coast guard vessels of a collision while attempting to expel Philippine coast guard vessels and fishermen from the same disputed area. The collision, which resulted in visible damage to Chinese vessels, has heightened concerns over dangerous maneuvers and unlawful interference in the region. The Philippines offered medical aid via radio following the incident but received no response from the Chinese vessels.
China asserts extensive territorial claims over the South China Sea, which are contested by several neighboring nations, including the Philippines. The 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated China's "nine-dash line" claim has not resolved the underlying tensions. The Philippine military's account detailed that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG 3104, while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, executed a risky maneuver that led to a collision with a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warship, identified as the Guilin (164). This incident left the CCG vessel reportedly unseaworthy due to substantial damage to its bow. The Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, Commodore Jay Tarriela, stated that the collision occurred during a humanitarian mission to support Filipino fishermen. In response to the U.S. destroyer's presence, China's Southern Theater Command stated that the USS Higgins had entered the waters without Chinese government approval, characterizing the U.S. operation as a violation of China's sovereignty and a threat to regional stability. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing have not yet issued official comments on the U.S. destroyer incident. These ongoing maritime encounters highlight the complex geopolitical landscape and the potential for miscalculation in this crucial waterway, following a pattern of increasing assertiveness in the region.