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Collision of Chinese vessels in waters near China's Huangyan Dao likely caused by avoiding hitting Philippine Coast Guard Ship: expert

Global Times

By Fan Wei, Liu Xuanzun and Cao Siqi Published: Aug 15, 2025 06:57 PM

According to a previous statement from the China Coast Guard (CCG), on August 11, the Philippines organized multiple coast guard and government vessels, under the pretext of supplying fishing boats, to intrude into the waters near China's Huangyan Dao, disregarding repeated dissuasion and warnings from the Chinese side. The CCG took necessary measures, including monitoring, pushing out, and taking control measures, to drive away the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law. Following this incident, several videos circulated on social media showing a collision between two vessels during China's law enforcement action to protect its rights, which led to various unfounded and malicious hype from the Philippine side.

In an interview with the Global Times on Friday, an expert said that the collision between the two Chinese vessels occurred primarily because the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406 intruded into China's territorial waters around Huangyan Dao at high speed, repeatedly crossing the course of Chinese vessels and obstructing their navigation, which violated international rules. In the process of high-speed escorting, the Chinese vessels took evasive actions to avoid colliding with the Philippine ship, but the maneuver resulted in a collision incident.

A video circulating on the internet shows that on August 11, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406, while speeding through the waters around China's Huangyan Dao, was initially accompanied by China's vessels 3104 and 164 at high speed, which were carrying out a mission to drive it away. During this process, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406 was positioned directly on the shipping route of the Chinese vessels, and the ships from the two sides came very close to each other. In a critical moment, the Chinese vessels simultaneously made a turning maneuver, resulting in a collision between the two ships.

A maritime technology expert told the Global Times on Friday that the collision between two Chinese vessels during this operation was not due to unprofessional operation by the Chinese ships. Instead, it occurred because, while traveling at high speed, the Chinese vessels faced repeated intrusions from the Philippine ship that crossed in front of them and suddenly slowed down, obstructing their path. In an effort to avoid colliding with the Philippine vessel, the Chinese ships took evasive action, which ultimately led to the collision.

"The Chinese vessels have larger tonnage and faster speed. If they were to collide with the Philippine vessel 4406, it would almost certainly have resulted in the Philippine ship's destruction and casualties. In this incident, the Philippine vessel acted extremely unprofessionally, repeatedly making highly dangerous maneuvers. If the Chinese vessels had only considered their own safety and reduced risk, they could have chosen not to maneuver and directly collide with the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406. However, the Chinese vessels maintained professionalism, standards, and rational restraint throughout," said the Chinese expert.

In this mission, if the Chinese vessels were tasked with colliding and pushing the Philippine Coast Guard ship, I believe that the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406 is unlikely to have any chance of "escaping," Yang Xiao, an expert on maritime issues at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relation, told the Global Times on Friday.

The Chinese vessel 164 not only far surpasses the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406 in terms of tonnage, but it is also faster, with a designed maximum speed at least 5 knots higher than that of the Philippine vessel 4406. If the Chinese vessel were ordered to collide with the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 4406, it is unlikely that the Philippine vessel would be able to come out unscathed. On the contrary, the Chinese vessels made evasive maneuvers, which is clearly detrimental to its own safety given its large tonnage, the expert said.

A video captured by a Filipino journalist that has circulated online also supports this viewpoint: After a collision incident involving Chinese vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard ship 4406 continued to speed into the waters around China's Huangyan Dao, while the Chinese ship 164 escorted and drove it away at high speed. Throughout the process, the Philippine Coast Guard ship 4406 repeatedly crossed in front of the Chinese ship 164, continuously provoking it. However, the Chinese vessel acted professionally, with restraint and rationality, and did not respond with any retaliatory actions such as ramming the Philippine Coast Guard ship 4406.

Ray Powell, director of SeaLight at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, claimed in an interview with the CNN that the PLA "destroyer could have struck the much smaller Philippine Coast Guard ship instead. This would have almost certainly resulted in injury and death - even the sinking of the Philippine vessel."

"This precisely proves an obvious fact: when the Philippine vessel was provoking and potentially leading to a serious incident, the Chinese ships took proactive measures to avoid it," Yang said.

"The facts are very clear: it is the restraint of the Chinese side that has avoided serious conflicts and consequences, thereby maintaining regional stability. It is precisely the malicious provocations by the Philippine side that have created the risks for an extremely serious maritime crisis," Yang said.

He further noted that the Philippine side should think carefully. The reason why their coast guard and government vessels could repeatedly provoke Chinese ships was not because their vessels are more advanced, better equipped, or braver, but simply because the Chinese side has consistently exercised restraint hoping that China and the Philippines can work together to ease the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences. However, the Philippine side has clearly made a serious misjudgment of the situation.

Conflicts are like a "Pandora's box," and the Philippine side needs to consider carefully what kind of situation they will face if it is opened, Yang said.

"It is not only the collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels that signify an escalation of the situation in the South China Sea. The damage caused to Chinese ships by the Philippines' infringement and provocative activities also contributes to the escalation of the situation. If the Philippine side indulges in this 'gray zone' game, believing that it can intensify its infringement and provocative actions, it will only force China to further escalate its countermeasures," Yang warned.

China demands that the Philippines immediately cease its provocative actions and statements, and reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures, Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said on Friday, stressing that China will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Jiang made the remarks in response to media inquiries about the recent conflict between China and the Philippines near the waters of China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea. At the press conference on Friday, a reporter said that according to foreign media reports, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel collided with a Chinese Navy warship while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat in waters near Huangyan Dao. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner claimed that personnel of the Philippine Armed Forces and Coast Guard have been instructed to follow the "Rules of Engagement" when performing their duties, under which the Philippine side claimed that it has the right to self-defense.

Jiang said that on August 11, multiple Philippine Coast Guard and official vessels illegally entered the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao. Chinese Coast Guard vessels lawfully responded with lawful measures, including monitoring, shadowing, blocking, and controlling to drive them away.

During this time, Philippine Coast Guard vessels repeatedly engaged in dangerous maneuvers, including high-speed incursions and sharp turns across the bow of Chinese vessels, creating a complex and tense situation at sea. These actions seriously violated China's sovereignty and rights, endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel, and severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, the spokesperson said.

China demands that the Philippines immediately cease its provocative words and deeds, Jiang stressed. He reaffirmed that China reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures and will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.