After Diplomatic Dustup, China Coast Guard Rams a Philippine Patrol Vessel
On September 18, China Coast Guard vessel CCG-21585 rammed the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat off Palawan. Earlier, on September 8, China attempted to silence Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro during a speech in Seoul, and he read the Chinese message aloud, calling it 'actual coercion, bullying and aggression.'
Why it matters: This incident underscores the briefing's theme of deterrence in the South China Sea.