It was a tense and chaotic Sunday morning in the South China Sea, as a Chinese coast guard vessel unleashed a powerful water cannon and then rammed a stationary Philippine government ship near Thitu Island—known locally as Pag-asa—escalating an already volatile territorial dispute. The incident, which occurred on October 12, 2025, left the Philippine vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya with minor structural damage but, fortunately, no injuries among its Filipino crew, according to official statements from the Philippine Coast Guard and widely reported by outlets including the Associated Press and GMA News.
This latest confrontation unfolded just 1.8 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island, within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and, crucially, its territorial waters. The area, situated in the fiercely contested Spratly Islands, has long been a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing, with both sides trading accusations and warnings over what transpired. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that Pagbuaya, along with two other Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels, was anchored near the island to support local fishermen when a flotilla of more than 20 Chinese vessels—including five coast guard ships, 15 maritime militia boats, a warship, and even a helicopter—suddenly advanced on their position.
Video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard and shared widely on social media captured the dramatic moments. In the footage, a Chinese coast guard ship—identified by bow number 21559—can be seen firing a direct blast from its water cannon, striking the BRP Datu Pagbuaya and its two Philippine flags. Only minutes later, the same Chinese vessel rammed the stern of the stationary Philippine ship, causing visible damage. Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, condemned the incident as “dangerous and provocative,” vowing that such aggression would not force Manila to “surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power.”
Tarriela didn’t mince words, describing China’s actions as “bullying tactics and aggressive actions.” He added, “Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources remain resolute. We will not be intimidated or driven away.” His comments echoed a broader sentiment in the Philippines, where public frustration over repeated incidents at sea has been mounting.
China, on the other hand, has steadfastly maintained that it was acting within its rights. In a statement from Beijing, Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun asserted that the Philippine vessels “illegally entered waters near Sandy Cay”—which China refers to as Tiexian Reef—“without the permission of the Chinese government.” Liu claimed that one of the Philippine ships “dangerously approached the Chinese Coast Guard vessel, causing a scrape,” and placed the blame for the incident squarely on the Philippine side. He accused Manila of “undermining the peace and stability in the South China Sea” and delivered a stern warning to “immediately stop infringement and harassment.”
The clash is only the latest in a series of confrontations between the two countries in the South China Sea, a region rich in natural resources and critical to global trade. According to BBC and other international outlets, China has been repeatedly accused of employing aggressive tactics—ranging from water cannons and ramming to boarding incidents involving bladed weapons and even the use of dazzlers and acoustic devices—against Philippine government ships and fishermen. These so-called “gray zone” maneuvers, which fall below the threshold of outright war, still carry significant risks. As seen in a separate August 2025 incident, a Chinese destroyer collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel while both were chasing a Philippine patrol boat near Scarborough Shoal, causing major damage to the Chinese coast guard ship itself.
For many in the Philippines, these confrontations are not merely about abstract sovereignty—they have real, everyday consequences. Filipino fishermen depend on these waters for their livelihoods, and the presence of Chinese vessels—often in overwhelming numbers—can be intimidating, if not outright dangerous. Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan emphasized this point, stating, “Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power.”
The international response was swift and pointed. The United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, condemned China’s actions in the strongest terms. The U.S. State Department released a statement on Monday, October 13, declaring, “The United States condemns China’s October 12 ramming and water cannoning of a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel close to Thitu Island in the South China Sea.” The statement further affirmed Washington’s commitment to its ally, referencing Article IV of the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to “armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—including those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea.”
U.S. Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson also weighed in, lauding the Filipino personnel involved for their “tremendous valor and skill in the face of China’s dangerous ramming and use of water cannons.” The U.S. and its allies—including Japan, Australia, the European Union, and Canada—have repeatedly backed the Philippines in the wake of such incidents, pointing to a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea. China, however, has flatly rejected this ruling, insisting on its historic sovereignty over virtually the entire region.
The broader context of these clashes is a South China Sea that has become increasingly militarized and fraught with tension. China has transformed seven previously barren reefs in the Spratlys archipelago into sprawling artificial island bases, complete with missile systems and runways. Subi Reef, one of the largest of these installations, lies just over 20 kilometers from Thitu Island—making encounters between rival vessels almost inevitable. The Spratlys themselves are claimed in whole or in part by six governments, but it is the Philippines and China that have most frequently found themselves at loggerheads in recent years.
For the people of Pag-asa Island, the stakes are personal and immediate. The island is home to both a military garrison and a civilian fishing community, whose daily lives are shaped by the ebb and flow of the geopolitical tide. As Commodore Tarriela put it, “The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve.”
As the region watches anxiously, the events off Thitu Island serve as a stark reminder of the potential for even minor maritime incidents to spiral into broader confrontations—testing the resolve, patience, and alliances of the countries involved. For now, the battered but unbowed BRP Datu Pagbuaya heads back to port, its crew safe, but the waters around Pag-asa remain as turbulent as ever.
