Thinking About China
Opinion

South China Sea Collision Exposes Deep Troubles in the Chinese Navy

South China Sea Collision Exposes Deep Troubles in the Chinese Navy
A Chinese navy ship collided with a Chinese Coast Guard ship while chasing a Philippine boat near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Aug. 11, 2025. Philippine Coast Guard Handout via The Associated Press/Screenshot via The Epoch Times
Shen Zhou
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Commentary
The Chinese navy’s Type 052D destroyer Guilin and the coast guard vessel Nanyu collided at high speed while chasing the Philippine patrol ship BRP Suluan near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Aug. 11. It took Beijing’s defense ministry four days to issue a vague statement, shifting blame onto the Philippines in an attempt to deflect responsibility.
Shen Zhou
Shen Zhou
Author
Shen Zhou, a former design engineer for military vehicles, is a China observer who has paid close attention to the Chinese regime’s military expansion over the years. He started contributing to The Epoch Times in 2020.