US Deploys Warships to South China Sea After Escalating Collision Incident
US Deploys Warships to South China Sea After Escalating Collision Incident
The United States has deployed two warships to the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea following a collision earlier this week involving Chinese and Philippine vessels. The deployment underscores rising international alarm over escalating maritime tensions in the vital waterway.
On Wednesday, the USS Higgins, a guided missile destroyer, and the USS Cincinnati, a littoral combat ship, were observed sailing approximately 30 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal. Their presence comes after a Monday incident where a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship collided with a smaller Philippine coast guard vessel, the BRP Suluan, while attempting to block it near the shoal. Video footage released by the Philippine coast guard reportedly shows the Chinese coast guard ship sustaining significant damage.
Washington’s ambassador to Manila, MaryKay Carlson, condemned China’s “reckless action” on Tuesday, reiterating the U.S. commitment to its oldest treaty ally in Asia, the Philippines. The U.S. has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines in the event of an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
The incident has drawn international condemnation, with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand expressing alarm over the dangerous maneuvers. Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela emphasized the need for China to adhere to anti-collision regulations, citing a “high chance of miscalculation” in such incidents.
Tensions in the region remain high. Hours after Tarriela’s remarks, a Chinese fighter jet reportedly flew dangerously close to a Philippine coast guard plane conducting a surveillance flight over Scarborough Shoal, performing maneuvers as close as 150 meters from the aircraft.
The U.S. Navy regularly conducts freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea to challenge Beijing’s extensive territorial claims, which are also disputed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, further complicating the already volatile maritime landscape.
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