China: South China Sea Crisis Continues

August 26, 2026: The most recent incident in the decades-old South China Sea conflict between the Philippines and China involved a Filipino being injured by the Chinese Coast Guard. This occurred near Second Thomas Shoal when a Chinese Coast Guard ship put a smaller-powered boat into the water. The boat carried eight armed sailors and sought to prevent the Filipino Navy from sending two RHIB/Rigid Inflatable Boats to intercept the Communist ship. Things got physical; one Filipino sailor was hit in the head by a Chinese sailor wielding a wooden staff. The Filipino Navy periodically sends ships to deliver supplies to the Marines on the LST. Th…