The Philippines expresses its dissatisfaction following a close encounter between a Chinese coast guard ship and a Philippine vessel.

ABOARD BRP SINDANGAN — A Chinese coast guard ship came within a meter (3 feet) of colliding with a Philippine patrol ship it was trying to block in the South China Sea, in an alarming incident that intensified fears that territorial disputes in the waters could spark a larger crisis.

The actions of the Chinese ship near Second Thomas Shoal, which is claimed by both the Philippines and China and has seen frequent confrontations, were strongly condemned by the Philippines on Friday.

During the incident on Wednesday, Chinese coast guard and militia ships surrounded and blocked a Philippine coast guard vessel for approximately eight hours. If there were to be a significant conflict in the disputed waters, the United States, as a treaty ally of the Philippines, has promised to protect them in case of armed attacks on Filipino forces, ships, and aircraft.

Two smaller supply boats being escorted by the Philippine coast guard in the contested waters managed to breach the Chinese blockade and delivered food and other supplies to a Filipino marine outpost at the shoal.

At a briefing on Friday, Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine coast guard, expressed condemnation towards the actions of the Chinese coast guard vessel. He stated that they have been disregarding international law, specifically the regulations concerning collisions.

Tarriela stated that a collision was prevented when the BRP Sindangan, one of the Philippine coast guard vessels, quickly reversed its engine to avoid crashing into the Chinese coast guard ship. The Chinese ship had crossed in front of it at a mere one-meter distance.

He stated that it was the most perilous action taken by a Chinese coast guard vessel towards a Philippine patrol ship.

Several journalists, including those from The Associated Press, witnessed the incident. They were invited by the Philippine coast guard to be part of a strategy to reveal Chinese aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

A small contingent of Filipino marines and navy personnel has stood guard for years on a long-marooned but still commissioned warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, at the shoal. China has surrounded it with its coast guard ships and militia vessels to prevent the Philippines from delivering construction materials that Beijing fears could be used to reinforce the Sierra Madre and turn it into a permanent territorial outpost.

On Wednesday, the conflict started early in the morning as a Chinese coast guard ship closely followed the Philippine vessels heading towards Second Thomas Shoal. Subsequently, a group of Chinese coast guard and militia ships, which included a navy warship, appeared and created a barrier in the open waters near the shoal.

A Chinese coast guard radio operator asserted repeatedly to the BRP Sindangan that “China has indisputable sovereignty” over Second Thomas Shoal and outlying waters. “To avoid miscalculations, leave and keep out,” the Chinese radio operator warned.

The personnel from the coast guard of the Philippines responded by affirming the rights of the Philippines to the region and stated their intention to continue with the transportation of the provisions.

On Wednesday night, the Chinese coast guard issued a statement stating that the Philippine vessels had entered the waters without authorization from the Chinese government. They also expressed China’s strong opposition to the illegal transportation of building materials to the stranded military boat. The Chinese coast guard gave a strong warning to the Philippine vessels and closely monitored their activities.

It was the latest flare-up in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest trade routes. The conflicts, which involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, are regarded as a potential flashpoint and have become a delicate fault line in U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

In the beginning of August, a Chinese coast guard vessel employed a water cannon to deter one of the two Philippine supply boats from approaching Second Thomas Shoal. This incident, captured on video, greatly angered President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and led the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to summon the Chinese ambassador and express a vehement protest.

Washington responded by restating that it has a duty to protect the Philippines as a partner under a treaty agreement.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused Washington of “threatening China” by raising the possibility of activating the U.S.-Philippine mutual defense treaty. Beijing has repeatedly warned the U.S. not to meddle in regional territorial disputes.

In August, the Philippines once again sent out two boats that managed to navigate through the blockade of the Chinese coast guard and successfully delivered supplies to the Filipino forces at Second Thomas Shoal. However, Chinese coast guard ships prevented two Philippine coast guard ships from getting closer to the shoal. During the standoff that lasted over three hours, a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft provided support by flying in circles around the Philippine vessels.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed concern over dangerous Chinese actions at sea and said the government is ready to respond to potential emergencies, including any collision between Chinese and Philippine ships in the disputed waters.

“Naturally the concern is always there, and we take that into account,” Teodoro said Tuesday night. “We have plans depending on what happens.”

China rejected the 2016 arbitration ruling that was established based on the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which declared Beijing’s historical claims to almost the entire South China Sea as invalid. Despite the Philippines’ request for arbitration, China refused to participate and considers the decision to be illegitimate, persisting in its defiance.

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Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines.