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The Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, has reported an “unusual” show of force by Chinese units around Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the South China Sea’s Spratly Islands.
### Why It Matters
The Spratlys are contested by multiple countries: the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, including features such as Second Thomas Shoal within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Manila has stationed a small detachment aboard a rusting warship, the BRP *Sierra Madre*, which it grounded on Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to reinforce its claim to the reef—a move China maintains was illegal. Since 2023, Philippine resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal have faced forceful Chinese actions, including collisions and water-cannon blasts. These confrontations appeared to subside after a June 2024 clash that injured several Philippine sailors.
**Newsweek** has reached out to the Philippine coast guard and Chinese foreign ministry for comment.
### Key Points
– **Show of Force:** In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Philippine military reported five China coast guard cutters, nine ships from China’s maritime militia, and smaller craft near Second Thomas Shoal. Some smaller boats were seen inside the shoal, and several fast craft appeared to be outfitted with new heavy weapons.
– **Maneuvers:** Outside the shoal, larger coast guard ships conducted maneuvers and water-cannon drills. Raft occupants placed netting into the water, and a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicle operated nearby.
– **Comment from Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad:** “It is unusual for them to show weapons, to drop nets that can impede watercraft, and to demonstrate their water cannons.”
– **Chinese Response:** A Chinese coast guard spokesperson accused the *Sierra Madre* of launching small boats to provoke Chinese vessels by approaching them in an unprofessional and dangerous manner.
### Recent Confrontations
The stepped-up Chinese presence at Second Thomas Shoal follows a recent confrontation at Scarborough Shoal on August 11, where a Chinese navy destroyer and coast guard ship collided while attempting to drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard cutter. The Chinese coast guard vessel’s forecastle was severely damaged, and search-and-rescue operations the following day suggested crew members may have fallen overboard.
Some analysts say this current surge in activity signals Beijing’s attempt to project strength after the collision.
### What People Have Said
– **Ben Lewis, co-founder of PLATracker:** “The biggest question that remains is whether the behavior of People’s Republic of China forces in future direct encounters with Philippine vessels will escalate, which Beijing has threatened to do.”
– **Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies:** “As expected, because of the unprecedented loss of face, Beijing needs to assert itself more aggressively lest the August 11 collision sends the wrong signal to domestic audience and external parties, especially South China Sea rivals.”
### Next Steps
It remains unclear whether China will sustain its high-level presence around Second Thomas Shoal or challenge the next Philippine run to the *Sierra Madre*, risking a return to high-stakes confrontations—and potential U.S. involvement.
