Philippine sailor hurt in clash with China near Second Thomas Shoal
Why it matters: The confrontation escalated tensions days before the two countries' top diplomats meet in Manila.
A Philippine Navy sailor suffered a serious head injury after a clash with the China Coast Guard near Second Thomas Shoal on Monday, according to Philippine authorities. Manila said personnel from a Chinese rigid-hull inflatable boat struck the sailor with a wooden baton as Philippine forces moved to challenge a Chinese approach to the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded ship that serves as a Philippine outpost in the Spratly Islands. China said its coast guard took "reciprocal countermeasures" after two Philippine rubber boats approached its patrol vessel in a dangerous manner. The incident follows repeated confrontations around the shoal despite a 2024 provisional deal on resupply missions.