U.S. Navy Aircraft Joins Philippines Ship Confronting Chinese Coast Guard

The potential for a direct U.S.-China military confrontation in the South China Sea escalated when a U.S. Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft surveilled a confrontation between the Coast Guard vessels of China and the Philippines. The Chinese blocked contact between the Philippines ships and another Philippine ship which had anchored in a contested area of the Xianbin Jiao Island in the South China Sea. Both China and Manila accuse the other side of ramming their ship.