Raul (Pete) Pedrozo
On May 21, 2025, a China Coast Guard (CCG) cutter fired its water cannon and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sanday twice, as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel was legally collecting marine data samples near Sandy Cay Reef in the South China Sea. The CCG’s “aggressive inference, dangerous maneuvers, and illegal acts” damaged the civilian research vessel’s port bow and smokestack, putting at risk the lives of its crew.
China blamed the Philippines for the collision, indicating that the DA-BFAR vessel had “illegally intruded” Chinese waters without permission and ignored warning from the CCG vessel. The Philippine survey ship “dangerously” approached and collided with the CCG vessel, which was conducting normal law enforcement operations in the waters off Sandy Cay. In April, Chinese state media CCTV reported that China’s coast guard had “implemented maritime control” over Tiexan (Sandy Cay) Reef.
The U.S. Ambassador in Manila, MaryKay Carlson, condemned the CCG’s “aggressive actions against a lawful civilian mission near Sandy Cay,” which “recklessly endangered lives and threaten regional stability.” Ambassador Calson further indicated that the United States stands “with our Philippine allies in support of international law and a free and open Indo-Pacific.” These assurances are consistent with prior Biden and Trump administration notices to China that the United States is obligated under the Mutual Defense Treaty “to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.” Despite these strongly worded statements.
Incidents between China and the other South China Sea claimants is a common occurrence, as China attempts to solidify its unlawful claims over the Spratly Islands and surrounding waters, despite an arbitral tribunal decision that held China’s claims were illegal. To address Chinese transgressions, the Philippines initiated arbitration proceedings against China in 2013 pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (tribunal decision, ¶ 28). Although China is a party to UNCLOS and is therefore subject to the compulsory dispute settlement provisions of the Convention, China refused to participate in the proceedings.
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