On September 18, 2026, a Chinese coast guard ship collided with a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel during a refueling mission to local fishermen in the South China Sea. The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea condemned the incident as deliberate Chinese aggression in contested waters.
A China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine government fisheries boat near Sabina Shoal on 18–19 September while the Philippine vessel was delivering fuel to fishermen in disputed waters. The incident escalated tensions in the South China Sea, with both nations blaming the other for the collision.
On 9 September 2026, China denounced Philippine Defence Secretary's public reading of a Chinese diplomat's note on the South China Sea, accusing Manila of "grandstanding and lying." The incident highlighted tensions over territorial disputes and diplomatic communication in the contested waters.
At a Seoul forum on September 8–9, 2026, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. publicly condemned China after a memo asserting Beijing's position on their disputed maritime boundary was handed to him during a presentation. The incident highlighted escalating tensions over the South China Sea.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back conducted a series of multilateral defense meetings between September 7–9, 2026, with Philippine, Czech, and Croatian counterparts to expand arms cooperation and military ties. The minister also expressed hope for resumption of North Korea–US dialogue.
Manila's defence chief expressed concern on September 7, 2026, that China may reassert itself amid cuts to US–South Korea military exercises, but stated Washington gave definite assurances that its commitments to the Philippines remain intact.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated on September 7, 2026 that China could take advantage of reductions in US-South Korean military exercises. Teodoro said Washington had assured the Philippines that its security commitments to Manila remained unchanged.
China approved construction of a marine environmental observation station near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on August 19, 2026, an area China has controlled since 2012. The move adds to ongoing territorial tensions in the South China Sea over this contested feature.