A Chinese coast guard ship came within feet of a Philippine vessel it was trying to intercept in the disputed South China Sea, ina sign that Beijing is beginning to take a more assertive approach in the increasingly tense strategic waterway.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when Philippine ships were trying to resupply a Marine detachment on the isolated island, Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as Ren 'ai Reef. China has territorial claims over large areas of the South China Sea, including the reef.
The Philippine Coast Guard released new details of the clash on Friday, saying the presence of four Chinese coast guard vessels and five Chinese maritime militia vessels had disrupted their mission. Manila released a video of the incident in which it said one of the Chinese Coast guard boats came within about three feet of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel. The Chinese ships carried out eight what the Philippines called dangerous maneuvers.
Tensions are high in the disputed waters. China and the Philippines, among others, have overlapping territorial and maritime claims in the waters. The Chinese coast guard regularly tries to prevent Philippine fleets, including civilian vessels with Philippine Navy personnel and Coast Guard vessels, from reaching Second Thomas Reef.
The Philippine Coast Guard said last week it had cut a floating barrier installed by China on a disputed coral atoll. In February, the Chinese coast guard fired a military laser beam at a Philippine ship, and in another encounter in August, the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at another Philippine ship.

China regularly tries to prevent Philippine ships from resupplying disputed islands in the South China Sea.

The latest incident highlights the risk of such confrontations involving Chinese ships in the South China Sea escalating. The encounter will be watched closely by the United States, an ally of the Philippines, amid tensions between the United States and China.
The Philippine Coast Guard also said on Friday that a Chinese naval vessel had for the first time come within half a nautical mile of a Philippine coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission. The Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese military aircraft was conducting reconnaissance of the area at the time and flew away from the area when the Philippine contingent arrived near Second Thomas Reef.
China's massive presence in the region is in part a testament to what security analysts call the "cabbage tactic," in which Chinese forces advance at different distances and with different levels of involvement. As China's coast guard and maritime militia directly asserted China's sovereignty, a navy ship circled in the distance. Manila said the Philippine ship had managed to deliver the supplies despite China's efforts.
Last Wednesday, the China Sea Police said four Philippine ships tried to illegally enter waters near Ren 'ai Jiao. China says the waters belong to it. China's coast guard said it had issued stern warnings and "effective regulations" on the Philippine vessels.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office 15 months ago, has spoken out more forcefully against China's actions in the South China Sea and strengthened his country's alliance with Washington. The Philippines has also adopted a policy of publicly denouncing China's actions through statements, photos and videos aimed at exposing what it sees as Chinese bullying.
For the past decade, Beijing has been trying to shift the balance of power in the South China Sea. China has built artificial islands in the disputed waters and turned them into military bases. China's large fleet of coast guards and fishermen constantly travel to the disputed sites and conduct extensive patrols in the waters to enforce China's sovereignty claims. Countries such as the Philippines have far fewer resources and ships than China, and it is difficult to counterbalance China's presence on an equal footing.
The Philippines faces significant challenges in resupplying the Marines at Second Thomas Reef. The Marines were stationed aboard a rusting World War II-era ship, the Sierra Madre. The Philippines grounded the ship in 1999 to assert its claim to the reef. China objected to the ship's presence and tried to prevent the Philippines from providing food, water and other supplies to those on board.