The US destroyer **USS Higgins** and the littoral combat ship **USS Cincinnati** were briefly deployed about 30 nautical miles off **Scarborough Shoal** after two Chinese ships collided while trying to stop a Philippine ship. Statements were exchanged by Manila, Beijing and Washington as regional partners urged restraint amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.
What Happened at Scarborough Shoal
A video released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows a Chinese destroyer and a Chinese Coast Guard ship colliding while trying to stop the BRP Suluan near the shoal on Monday, causing visible damage to both Chinese vessels. Manila said its crew had offered assistance by radio but received no response. Philippine military leaders described the maneuver as “dangerous,” underscoring the dangers of escalation in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.
The incident is part of a pattern of forceful actions in waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but claimed by China. On Wednesday, a Chinese fighter jet also intercepted a Philippine Coast Guard plane carrying journalists in the area, and remained within about 200 feet for about 20 minutes, Philippine officials said.
The USS Higgins (DDG-76), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, has been involved in numerous deployments and patrols, focusing on deterrence and freedom of navigation operations. (US Navy)
Dueling narratives, familiar legal fault lines
Beijing’s Southern Theater Command insisted it “observed and repelled” the USS Higgins after the ship entered waters near the shoal without permission. The US 7th Fleet called that report “false,” and said the destroyer “asserted navigational rights and freedoms…consistent with international law.”
Scarborough Shoal — about 200km off Luzon — has been a flashpoint since 2012 and sits on a nexus of overlapping claims. In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal invalidated China’s “nine-dash line” claims and ruled Beijing’s blockade of Scarborough illegal; China rejects the ruling, while the US challenges the maritime claims as routine operations.
Responses from allies and regional communications
Washington’s ambassador to Manila, Marieke Carlson, condemned China’s latest reckless action directed at a Philippine vessel, praising the Philippine Coast Guard’s restraint. Japan, Australia and New Zealand expressed concern about the unsafe behavior and urged compliance with international law. Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Terriella called the incident a “learning experience” for Beijing, warning that the dangerous maneuvers invite miscalculation.
Why These Two U.S. Ships—And Why Now
The pair of multi-mission destroyers and littoral combat ships offered a flexible mix: field air defense and long-range reconnaissance from a destroyer, plus the LCS’s aviation capability, shallow-draft agility, and high speed suited to crowded shores. Operations in and around the shoal’s territorial waters signaled alliance commitment without entering the most sensitive waters—especially amid heightened tensions immediately following the Sino-Chinese clash.
USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), a Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, conducts deterrence patrols, using its speed, agility, and modular design to quickly adapt to evolving mission requirements in disputed waters. (U.S. Navy)
Risk Calculation
Advantages. For Manila, the visible U.S. presence reinforces deterrence and reassures fishermen and coast guard crews who have faced increasingly dangerous encounters. It also emphasizes that the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on Philippine public vessels in the South China Sea, a point Washington has repeatedly stressed.
Risks. China has signaled it would view nearby U.S. operations as a violation, and the presence of Chinese navy, coast guard and maritime patrol vessels — often maneuvering in close proximity — increases the likelihood of accidents or rapid escalation. A fighter intercept reported by a Philippine surveillance flight on Wednesday shows how air and sea incidents can escalate in the same strategic space.