China Coast Guard intercepts Philippine vessels near Scarborough

Two Philippine vessels were intercepted by the China Coast Guard near Scarborough Shoal on Monday. This information came from Ray Powell, a maritime expert from Stanford University. Powell reported that two China Coast Guard vessels approached the Philippine ships. He also mentioned that six Chinese maritime militia ships positioned themselves to block access to the area. The Philippine vessels involved were identified as the BRP Bagacay and BRP Datu Pagbuaya. The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources had deployed their ships about 25 to 30 nautical miles east of Scarborough Shoal. Reports of this incident were still unconfirmed by the Philippine Coast Guard at the time of writing. China continues to assert its claim over much of the South China Sea and dismisses a ruling from 2016 that favored the Philippines. This situation highlights the ongoing tensions in the region.