Tensions between Manila and Beijing have reached a new high following a physical confrontation at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, prompting an exchange of strong diplomatic protests between the two nations. Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed the incident during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila.
The confrontation, which occurred on Monday, involved a clash between Philippine marines and personnel from the China Coast Guard (CCG). According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the dispute escalated when a CCG boat approached the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded Philippine warship serving as a military outpost. The AFP reported that a marine sustained a significant head injury after being struck by a CCG sailor with a baton, while noting that two Philippine dinghies had attempted to navigate the situation calmly and non-confrontationally. China has rejected this account, asserting that the Philippine side instigated the melee and rammed the CCG vessel.
During the bilateral meeting, Secretary Lazaro reiterated the Philippines' official protest regarding the CCG's actions, which she described as unacceptable. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated that Lazaro conveyed the nation's principled position on the South China Sea, emphasizing the need for restraint and adherence to international law. Additionally, Lazaro formally protested a 58-second video posted by the state-controlled China Daily on July 10, which depicted the Philippines as a karaoke-singing monkey forced to parrot the arbitral award handed down by a tribunal in The Hague in 2016. Despite the Chinese Ambassador’s attempts to distance his government from the content, Lazaro maintained that such imagery is deeply offensive and unacceptable.
In response, Wang Yi registered a strong protest from China, urging the Philippines to cease what he termed provocative actions. Wang characterized the bilateral relationship as being at a crossroads, warning that the Philippines should avoid being manipulated as a pawn by external forces. Other international officials also weighed in on the incident; Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand labeled the encounter as troubling, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his own sideline meeting with Wang, described the actions as escalatory. Blinken further reaffirmed that the United States intends to uphold its defense treaty obligations with Manila.
Despite the heightened friction, both Lazaro and Wang expressed a continued willingness to negotiate the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, a framework aimed at reducing conflict that has been under discussion for two decades. While ASEAN foreign ministers recently welcomed progress on the document, with some officials suggesting a possible finalization by the 49th ASEAN Summit in November, the path forward remains uncertain given the persistent territorial disputes and the ongoing cycle of maritime incidents.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shake hands during a meeting in Manila, Philippines, July 22, 2026.
You have reached the limit of 2 free articles this month.
