Filipino soldiers used their “bare hands” to fight off Chinese coast guard personnel armed with swords, spears, and knives in the disputed South China Sea, according to the country’s top military commander. General Romeo Brawner accused Chinese vessels of ramming Philippine boats, then boarding them and seizing weapons.
One Filipino soldier lost a thumb when his vessel was rammed, the general said. China denied its personnel were to blame, asserting they had been “restrained.”
There have been a string of dangerous encounters as both sides seek to enforce their claims on disputed reefs and outcrops, with this incident marking a significant escalation.
The skirmish occurred as the Philippine navy and coast guard were delivering supplies to Filipino troops stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal. Gen. Brawner reported that soldiers saw the Chinese coast guard armed with knives, spears, and bolos, a type of Filipino sword. He said this was the first time Filipino troops had seen the Chinese using these types of weapons in the area.
“We saw in the video how the Chinese even threatened our personnel by pointing their knives at our personnel,” Gen. Brawner said.
Chinese personnel also seized several guns, destroyed items including motors, and punctured inflatable vessels. Gen. Brawner described the incident as “piracy.”
“They have no right or legal authority to hijack our operations and destroy Philippine vessels operating within our exclusive economic zone,” he told reporters.
Beijing dismissed the allegations, stating its personnel were aiming to block an “illegal transportation” of supplies. “No direct measures” were taken against the Filipino soldiers, said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing.
“Law enforcement measures taken by the China Coast Guard at the site were professional and restrained,” he added.
In an earlier statement, the Chinese coast guard said the Philippines was “entirely responsible” for the incident, claiming troops “ignored China’s repeated solemn warnings… and dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.”
China has routinely attempted to block re-supply missions to the shoal. Filipino officials say the Chinese employ “dangerous maneuvers” such as shadowing, blocking, firing water cannons, and shining lasers to temporarily blind Filipino crews.