Chinese coastguard wield axes in clash with Filipino soldiers in South China Sea

Chinese coast guards were pictured wielding axes and knives before a Filipino soldier lost his thumb in a clash in the South China Sea. The Philippine sailor suffered the injury after what its military described as "intentional-high speed ramming" by the Chinese Coast Guard. The incident is the latest outbreak of violence amid heightening tensions over who owns the disputed seas. China claims 90 percent of the sea as its own sovereign territory but Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries contest that. Both China and the Philippines have accused each other of taking provocative action that infringes on their territory. Monday’s clash occurred when Chinese boats blocked an attempt to resupply a Filipino outpost with food. Read more here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/06/19/filipino-soldier-loses-thumb-in-chinese-coastguard-clash/ #china #philippines #dispute #southchinasea