US fumes as China clashes with Philippine sailors as Rubio arrives in Manila

US urges China to halt ‘destabilizing’ conduct after clash at Second Thomas Shoal

Monday’s clash near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal involved a Chinese coastguard vessel and two Philippine Navy rubber dinghies.

During the latest incident in which Philippine illegally "grounded" vessel No.57 deployed two rubber boats that approached a small China Coast Guard patrol boat in a dangerous manner in the waters near China's Ren'ai Jiao on Monday, an image obtained by the Global Times on Tuesday shows that one Chinese law enforcement officer was injured during the malicious assault launched by the Philippine side.

They have demanded that Manila pull away a long-marooned and now rusting navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which is manned by Filipino navy personnel and serves as a fragile territorial outpost.