A video released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows that approximately 10.5 nautical miles east of Scarborough Shoal (referred to as Masinloc Island in the Philippines and Huangyan Island in China), a Chinese Coast Guard ship collided with a Chinese Navy destroyer while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel. (August 11, 2025/VOA)
[People News] The Chinese Navy frequently engages in pursuits and blockades of Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, creating perilous situations. On September 18, the Philippine government revealed that on August 11, during the pursuit of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, a Chinese Coast Guard ship collided with its own military ship, resulting in at least two fatalities among Chinese personnel. This incident is 'extremely embarrassing' for both the Chinese military and Coast Guard. 'They (the Chinese) need to provide a clear explanation to their domestic audience.' However, Chinese media have remained silent on the matter. Some commentators believe that this incident has caused the Chinese Communist Party to 'lose face,' which contradicts the authorities' narrative of so-called positive energy stories. Experts suggest that the collision has exacerbated internal conflicts within the Chinese Communist Party, and the Philippines' public 'humiliation' is undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire.
A video previously released by the Philippines shows that on August 11, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 'BRP Suluan' was ambushed by the Chinese Coast Guard ship 3104 and the naval ship 'Guilin while on a mission in the Scarborough Shoal area. Following this, the Guilin collided with the 3104 during a high-speed interception, causing severe damage to the bow of the latter and rendering it unable to navigate. Although the Guilin suffered lighter damage, there were still clear collision marks on its port side.
In recent years, tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea have escalated, resulting in multiple dangerous standoffs. On August 11, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasised once again that the Philippines, as a long-standing ally of the United States, will continue to defend its territorial and sovereign rights in the South China Sea, asserting that the country 'will not retreat in the face of any opposing voices.'
The collision between the Chinese Coast Guard ship and its own naval vessel, which resulted in fatalities, has revealed problems in command communication and coordination among different units. This incident has caused a significant loss of face for China, leading Beijing to impose a complete news blackout, with domestic media rarely covering the story.
Shen Mingshi, a researcher at Taiwan's National Defence Institute, stated in an interview with The Epoch Times that the Philippines continues to publicise the incident, which has embarrassed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under external pressure, the CCP authorities may escalate the situation indefinitely, hold internal accountability, or replace relevant officials, which could intensify the internal power struggles within the CCP. "It is clear that when the Coast Guard and the Navy are jointly pursuing the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, there is a lack of joint operations or coordination between the two branches. It appears as if two parties are competing for the same objective, resulting in a collision. Some have speculated that this may be linked to power struggles, as Xi Jinping is at a disadvantage in the ongoing power struggle and may want to create a significant incident in the external environment to shift the focus away from internal issues."
Shen Mingshi believes that regardless of the circumstances, a collision involving one's own vessels is extremely embarrassing, and relevant generals within the CCP may face accountability, typically the Navy commander and the commander of the Southern Theatre Navy. However, due to the CCP's opaque operations, the current situation regarding changes in the Navy's high command remains unclear.
Professor Ye Yaoyuan, Chair of International Studies at the University of St. Thomas in the United States, argues that in response to the Philippines' public "humiliation," Beijing is unable to mount a strong counterattack, which signifies a challenge to the authority of the CCP's top leadership. The international community may perceive a weakening of the deterrent power of the CCP's military. "The issue for the CCP now is that it cannot effectively communicate its own narrative; it struggles to present its story convincingly. Most of its narratives are constructed on lies."
Ye Yaoyuan also stated that the internal purges within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military and armed police may be one of the indirect causes of the recent ship collision incident. Frequent personnel changes can lead to instability in military morale, and this may drive some individuals to pursue achievements and fill vacancies through relatively reckless means. If the ship collision is indeed a result of unstable military morale, the authorities' search for someone to take responsibility afterwards could further destabilise morale, intensifying internal conflicts and increasing overall instability.
Since 2018, the CCP Coast Guard has been reassigned to the Armed Police Force, which has also come under the command of the Central Military Commission, thus no longer being part of the State Council's structure. While the Armed Police Force is not included in the CCP military hierarchy, it has taken on additional responsibilities such as maritime law enforcement and rights protection.
In recent years, internal strife within the CCP military has been fierce, with many generals being ousted, although official announcements are often lacking. Notably, Armed Police Commander Wang Chunning was reported missing at the end of last year and was dismissed from his position as a National People's Congress representative on September 12 this year, confirming his downfall. Both of the last two commanders of the Southern Theatre Navy, General Ju Xinchun and General Li Pengcheng, have also been removed from their positions.
In November 2024, Miao Hua, a naval admiral and member of the Central Military Commission, was placed under investigation. Miao Hua oversees military personnel, and it is believed that his downfall has impacted numerous generals at various levels who had purchased their positions from him. On May 6, 2025, Navy Chief of Staff Li Hanjun was dismissed from his role as a National People's Congress representative; he is also a former subordinate of Miao Hua.
During the 'August 1' reception on July 31 of this year, Navy Commander Hu Zhongming and Political Commissar Yuan Huazhi were notably absent. Yuan Huazhi had already been rumoured to be in trouble at the end of last year, and reports in June indicated that Hu Zhongming had also been dismissed.
Numerous experts have highlighted the severe infighting within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military, where many senior generals have been arrested. Those who remain free are living in constant fear, leading precarious lives. The top military command structure is fragmented, and commanders are absent. This raises the question: who should the soldiers take orders from? Can a military in such disarray still be effective in combat? Even with the CCP's expenditure of 36 billion yuan on a grand military parade on September 3, the disorganisation of the military cannot be concealed. In this context, incidents of naval vessels and coast guard ships colliding in the South China Sea, resulting in casualties, will only further tarnish the military's reputation.
In response, overseas netizens have taken to mocking the situation: 'The sea is so vast, yet they manage to collide with themselves. The tactics of the CCP Navy are truly ahead of their time,' 'It's absurd that a coast guard ship and a naval vessel, both claiming to be a great power, can create such a farce,' 'A military that is only good at corruption is performing as expected,' 'The coast guard is likely aligned with Xi's faction, while the navy supports Zhang Youxia, so it's normal for them to clash,' 'The rate of collisions is slower than the rate of shipbuilding!' 'What kind of paper boat is that with such a wrecked bow?'...△
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