Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi Responds to South China Sea Collision Between China's Navy and Coast Guard During Attempt to Intercept Philippine Coast Guard Ship in Philippine Waters

WASHINGTON – On Monday in the South China Sea, a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) destroyer collided with and severely damaged a China Coast Guard (CCG) cutter while both were pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel near Scarborough Shoal, inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The PLAN destroyer came within mere meters of ramming the Philippine vessel. In response, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party issued the following statement:

“This accident marks China’s first ‘friendly fire’ maritime collision and a dangerous escalation, underscoring the CCP’s increasingly aggressive drive to seize control of its illegal maritime claims. China’s campaign to dominate the South China Sea by force threatens stability, peace, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific, as the Philippines and other nations defend their legitimate interests. Beijing must comply with international law and immediately end its coercive maritime actions.”