A Philippine vessel deliberately cuts across the path of the China coast guard vessel Sanzhou'ao, causing a collision on September 18, 2026.

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines strongly condemned the US Embassy in the Philippines for its indiscriminate backing and encouragement of Philippine infringement and provocations in waters near Xianbin Jiao in China's Nansha Qundao, according to a statement posted by the embassy on X.

"The facts are clear: A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel was carrying out rights-protection and law-enforcement operations in accordance with the law in the waters near Xianbin Jiao. The Philippine vessel No. 3015, ignoring repeated solemn warnings from the Chinese side, deliberately altered its course and suddenly accelerated, cutting obliquely across the bow of the China Coast Guard vessel, resulting in a collision," said the Chinese Embassy. 

The statement came in response to an earlier post by US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton, who "condemned" the CCG's "deliberate ramming" of a Philippine vessel near Xianbin Jiao and said the US "commend[s] the sustained professionalism of our Philippine Allies in the face of this dangerous, destabilizing act."

The Philippine side's actions seriously violate international law and the basic norms of international relations and threaten the safety of CCG vessels and personnel. The CCG vessel operated in a professional and standardized manner, reasonably and lawfully, and the responsibility of the collision rests entirely with the Philippine side, said the Chinese Embassy. 

"China urges the US side to stop spreading false narratives and deliberately distorting facts and right from wrong," said the Chinese Embassy. 

Exclusive footage obtained by the Global Times on Friday shows a Philippine vessel cutting diagonally across the bow of the CCG vessel Sanzhou'ao twice within 10 minutes, with the second maneuver resulting in a collision. A Chinese maritime expert said the maneuvers constituted deliberate interference with the Chinese vessel's navigation.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Saturday that the US' move confuses right and wrong and reflects its consistent stance, supporting the Philippines out of mere "political posturing".

Chen said that the Philippines has repeatedly carried out dangerous maneuvers in violation of the relevant international rules requiring vessels to maintain a safe distance. Clearly, the Philippine vessel's actions were deliberately provocative and confrontational, he said.

The expert added that the Philippines appears to be portraying itself as the victim and the weaker party while pursuing a more confrontational objective by playing the victim.

Chen described the move as a familiar ploy the Philippines has repeatedly resorted to, suggesting that it "has run out of ideas and has little new to offer."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during a press conference on Friday that China will continue safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and keeping the South China Sea peaceful and stable.