The Philippine military accused the China Coast Guard on Monday, July 20, 2026, of clubbing a Filipino sailor with a wooden baton while approaching the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded vessel serving as a Philippine garrison on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

According to a statement from the Philippines, a Chinese rigid-hull inflatable boat carrying eight men circled the BRP Sierra Madre, taking photos and videos. The incident escalated after two Philippine rubber boats were sent to drive the Chinese vessel away.

"The (Chinese coast guard) personnel reacted violently and aggressively by striking a Philippine Navy personnel on the head with a wooden baton, causing injury and damaging the Navy rubber boat," the Philippine military statement said.

The Philippine defense department described the encounter as part of "a clear pattern of provocative and hostile behavior" by the Chinese coast guard. The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This clash comes amid ongoing disputes over the South China Sea, where China claims nearly the entire waterway despite an international ruling rejecting its claims. In June 2024, Chinese law enforcement personnel armed with knives, sticks, and an axe attacked Filipino troops attempting to resupply the Philippine garrison on Second Thomas Shoal. A month later, both sides reportedly reached a provisional agreement on resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre.

News of the incident emerged just hours after the Philippine foreign ministry announced that the top diplomats of the Philippines and China would meet at a regional summit in Manila this week.

Sources