Chinese coast guard sailors brandishing knives and axes attacked unarmed Philippines soldiers on a naval vessel near a strategic reef in the South China Sea, dramatic new footage released by Manila showed. The incident, which occurred on Monday, involved Chinese sailors confronting Philippine forces attempting to resupply marines stationed on the derelict warship Sierra Madre.
The Philippine military released footage late Wednesday showing the confrontation which has drawn comparisons to the 2020 Galwan Valley incident between Indian and Chinese troops. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh in the most serious escalation between the two countries along the border in five decades. Reports claimed that 43 Chinese soldiers were killed or seriously injured because of intercepts.
The clash between China and Philippines was the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between the two armies in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to the disputed area..
Small Chinese boats manned by sailors brandishing weapons shouted and used sticks to hit Philippine inflatable boats, amidst blaring sirens and escalating chaos. Videos released by Philippine military showed an axe-wielding Chinese sailor threatened Filipino soldiers, while others battled. In the melee, a Filipino sailor lost a thumb, and Chinese forces reportedly confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment, including firearms.
Another clip shows a Chinese coast guard sailor violently striking the inflatable boat with a stick. A second man can also be seen stabbing the boat with a knife. The Filipino sailors, clad in brown camouflage with helmets and vests, are not carrying weapons in the clips.
Manila's footage of the clash stands in stark contrast to photos released by Beijing's state media on Wednesday, which did not show Chinese forces wielding weapons. The Chinese government maintained that its coast guard acted professionally and restrainedly, denying any direct hostile actions against Filipino personnel.
The US has said that "an armed attack" against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard anywhere in the South China Sea would invoke a mutual defence treaty between the two countries.
