Two Philippine government vessels delivering fuel and food to Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal were hit by Chinese coast guard water cannons and dangerous maneuvers this month, Philippine officials said.
The clash fits a broader Chinese push to tighten control not only at sea but also over disputed land features, using quieter acts that avoid major escalation while advancing sovereignty claims.
At Sandy Cay in April 2025, Chinese personnel landed on the unoccupied sandbar and raised a flag near Philippine-held Thitu Island, a move that narrowed Manila’s operating space and signaled renewed contest over land.
China has also expanded Antelope Reef since October 2025 in its first major island-building drive in about a decade, while creating a nature reserve and briefly deploying a manned floating structure at Scarborough Shoal.
The shift strains a 2002 ASEAN-China pledge not to inhabit unoccupied features and could weaken U.S.-backed efforts to rally regional resistance if Southeast Asian states seek accommodation with Beijing.