China and the Philippines have reported a collision between their vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, with Beijing accusing a Philippine ship of “deliberately” ramming a China Coast Guard craft and Manila flatly denying the claim.

China said it fired water cannon and imposed “control measures” after more than 10 Philippine government vessels approached the atoll on Tuesday, 16 September 2025.

The incident occurred six days after Beijing announced plans to designate part of Scarborough Shoal—known in China as Huangyan Island and in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc—as a national nature reserve. Manila has protested the move as unlawful, arguing it is a bid to entrench control over waters it regards as within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

China’s coast guard said the Philippine vessels “illegally invaded” waters around the shoal from multiple directions and accused one Philippine coastguard ship of ramming a Chinese vessel. In response, a Philippine Maritime Council spokesperson said there was “no truth” to Beijing’s allegations, calling them disinformation. Both sides have previously accused the other of unsafe manoeuvres around Scarborough, including the use of water cannon.

Scarborough Shoal lies roughly 200km off the Philippine island of Luzon and has been under effective Chinese control since a 2012 standoff, though Manila maintains its claim. The feature is strategically located near major shipping lanes and rich fishing grounds; disputes over access and enforcement have made it a persistent flashpoint in the wider South China Sea.

International reactions have focused both on Tuesday’s collision and on the nature-reserve plan. The United States criticised Beijing’s designation as “yet another coercive attempt to advance sweeping territorial and maritime claims,” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterating support for the Philippines. The UK and Australia also voiced concern in public statements, and Canada said it opposed any use of “environmental protection” as a pretext to take control of the shoal.

Manila last week signalled a formal diplomatic protest over Beijing’s reserve announcement. Philippine officials have argued the measure is a “pretext for occupation,” while Chinese authorities have framed it as protection for a fragile coral ecosystem. The nature-reserve plan covers several thousand hectares on the atoll’s northeastern side, close to the lagoon entrance used by fishing boats.

Legal context continues to shape the dispute. In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled that China’s expansive South China Sea claims had no basis in international law under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a decision rejected by Beijing. The award also addressed conduct around contested features, but enforcement relies on state practice and diplomacy; China has maintained its coastguard and maritime militia presence at the shoal.

The latest confrontation follows a series of incidents this year involving Chinese coastguard ships and Philippine resupply and patrol missions across disputed waters. Analysts say the nature-reserve designation risks normalising Chinese administration at Scarborough Shoal and could complicate fishing access for Filipino crews who already report frequent encounters with Chinese vessels. Washington has repeatedly linked such tensions to its 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty obligations with the Philippines.

No injuries were immediately reported from Tuesday’s events. Beijing stated that its actions—warnings, routing restrictions and water cannon—were “lawful” responses to a Philippine “intrusion,” while Manila characterised China’s account as propaganda. With both sides trading accusations and asserting jurisdiction, the risk of further incidents remains high absent agreed operational protocols at the shoal.