In a dangerous confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, two Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade to deliver food and supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal. The delivery was made under the watchful eye of a U.S. Navy plane circling overhead, highlighting the tense situation in the region. The two Philippine coast guard vessels escorting the supply boats were blocked by at least four Chinese coast guard ships for five hours in a standoff off Second Thomas Shoal. This incident is the latest escalation in the long-simmering territorial disputes involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei.

The South China Sea has become a delicate fault line in the U.S.-China rivalry and is considered an Asian flashpoint. The Philippine coast guard invited a small group of journalists, including two from The Associated Press, to join its ships in an effort to expose China's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea. As the Chinese coast guard ship crossed the bow of one of the Philippine vessels, coming as close as 46 meters (50 yards), tensions escalated.

However, despite the dangerous blockades and maneuvers, the resupply mission was successful, with all the Philippine vessels sailing away without further incident after delivering the supplies and a fresh crew of Filipino sailors to the military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela condemned the Chinese coast guard blockade and other perilous maneuvers as a violation of international regulations aimed at avoiding sea collisions. The Philippine coast guard will be providing a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to consider a possible diplomatic protest against China.

-The United States, while not claiming any territorial rights in the South China Sea, has stated that freedom of navigation and flight and the peaceful resolution of disputes are in its national interest. In response to a Chinese coast guard ship using a water cannon against a Philippine supply boat on August 5, the U.S. reiterated its commitment to defending its longtime treaty ally if Filipino forces, aircraft, and vessels come under armed attack in the South China Sea.

The deployment of the U.S. Navy surveillance plane, which flew for more than three hours overhead during the standoff, remains unclear. Filipino security officials have previously received intelligence information and surveillance images from their American and other foreign counterparts, suggesting a level of security cooperation in the region.