China has once again escalated the conflict between itself and the Philippines in the South China Sea. During a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal on Monday, Chinese boats, surrounded and then boarded a resupply boat belonging to the Philippines, threatening and injuring several Filipino soldiers. They also took rifles and put holes in two rigid inflatable boats belonging to the Philippines. A general in the the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) described China’s behavior as piracy.
AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the standoff, the latest in a series of escalations in the disputed waterway, marked the first time Filipino troops encountered Chinese coast guard members armed with bladed weapons like bolos, knives, and spears, which they allegedly used to pierce through Philippine Navy boats. “We saw in the video how the Chinese even threatened our personnel by…
