Chinese coast guard threatens Philippine ships in disputed area
Vessel had to reverse direction in order to avoid collision
By Associated Press
Published: April 29, 2023, 6:42pm
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A Chinese coast guard ship blocks the Philippine patrol vessel BRP Malapascua as it maneuvers to enter the mouth of Second Thomas Shoal on April 23 in the South China Sea. (aaron favila/Associated Press)Photo Gallery
ABOARD BRP MALABRIGO — A Chinese coast guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel steaming into a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing a frightening near-collision in the latest act of Beijing’s aggression in the strategic waterway.
The high-seas faceoff April 23 between the larger Chinese ship and the Philippine coast guard’s BRP Malapascua near Second Thomas Shoal was among the tense moments it and another Philippine vessel encountered in a weeklong sovereignty patrol in one of the world’s most hotly contested waterways.
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