China Coast Guard · Full chronicle and history

The Philippine Coast Guard accused Chinese coast guard vessels of obstructing the evacuation of sick military personnel near Second Thomas Shoal. China's Foreign Ministry responded that the Chinese side, out of humanitarian considerations, allowed the Philippine side to transfer the personnel and provided facilitation, and accused the Philippines of making a false countercharge.

On October 4, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that while the PCG, the navy and the police were pursuing a foreign fishing boat suspected of blast fishing near Thitu Island, they were blocked by two Chinese coast guard ships, one of which at one point came within about 9 meters of the Philippine speedboat, and a PLA Navy helicopter circled the area four times. The fishing boat headed in the direction of Subi Reef, and the Philippine side stopped the pursuit for safety reasons, saying the matter will be handled through diplomatic channels.

A Chinese Communist Party (CCP) research vessel illegally intruded into waters near the Batanes Islands of the Philippines. The Philippines dispatched coast guard ships and aircraft and successfully drove it off; the CCP coast guard vessels on the scene did not dare to intervene.

The Philippines stated that the China Coast Guard blocked its resupply mission for troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal on September 24; the China Coast Guard responded that the Philippine side violated agreements and provoked, stating it will continue law enforcement and rights defense in the relevant waters.

On September 18, while the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources government vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat was carrying out a mission in the waters off Palawan, it was rammed by China Coast Guard ship 21585, resulting in damage to the Philippine ship's starboard side. The Philippine side accused China of a deliberate collision, while the Chinese side claimed the Philippine vessel made an illegal diagonal cut causing a scrape, and insisted its own operation was lawful.

On September 18, the Philippine Coast Guard accused a Chinese coast guard ship of deliberately ramming a fisheries bureau vessel near Bambay Shoal in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, about 54 nautical miles from Palawan Island, causing the railing to bend and come loose and damaging metal supports on the deck. The China Coast Guard countered that the Philippine vessel had suddenly accelerated and cut in front of the Chinese ship's bow, saying responsibility lies entirely with the Philippine side; the Chinese Foreign Ministry also accused the Philippine side of provocation and making trouble. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Lipton issued a statement strongly condemning the Chinese side's behavior.

The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration expelled four Chinese coast guard ships that entered restricted waters off Kinmen and condemned their gray-zone harassment.

About a year after a collision between a China Coast Guard vessel and a Chinese Navy ship near Scarborough Shoal, official Chinese information has confirmed that the accident resulted in casualties on the Chinese side.

From August 1, China unilaterally implemented new management regulations for the Huangyan Island national nature reserve, announcing a complete ban on fishing, mining, and coral reef excavation within the waters, and that the China Coast Guard will establish a regular patrol mechanism. The United States and the Philippines said they do not recognize it.

Chinese coast guard vessels have been carrying out regularized law enforcement patrols in the waters east of Taiwan. Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration dispatched vessels to monitor the operations throughout the process and condemned the Chinese side's move as law enforcement in name but an expansion of power in reality.

Chinese coast guard vessels fired high-pressure water cannons at three Philippine government vessels delivering supplies to fishermen in waters near Scarborough Shoal, marking the third maritime confrontation between the two countries within a week.

On July 24, Chinese Coast Guard ships fired water cannons and carried out dangerous close approaches against a Philippine government vessel near Scarborough Shoal, at one point coming within only 7 meters of the Philippine ship; the day before, a Philippine government vessel had also been hit by Chinese Coast Guard water cannons for more than two minutes.

The Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese coast guard ship fired a water cannon at a Philippine fisheries vessel near Scarborough Shoal; the Chinese side said the Philippine vessel had intruded into disputed waters.

On July 20, the Chinese and Philippine coast guards clashed near Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippine side accused Chinese personnel of using clubs in an attack that injured a Filipino service member; the China Coast Guard responded that Philippine personnel rammed Chinese vessels and used clubs and oars to attack Chinese personnel.

The Philippines said Chinese coast guard vessels struck a Philippine Navy personnel member with a wooden stick near Second Thomas Shoal and damaged a rubber boat; the Chinese coast guard countered that the Philippine side had rammed and attacked first.

Chinese Coast Guard ships and Philippine Navy vessels clashed near Second Thomas Shoal, with each side accusing the other of dangerous and aggressive actions.

The Philippine military stated that at least three maritime standoffs occurred between China and the Philippines over disputed reefs in the South China Sea last month, one of which involved Chinese Coast Guard personnel injuring Philippine Navy personnel with batons.

On June 26, 2026, foreign media reported that Chinese coast guard vessels in the Pacific waters east of Taiwan hailed multiple foreign merchant ships by radio, demanding they report information and asserting jurisdiction. The de facto agencies of the US, UK, France and Germany in Taiwan issued a statement criticizing the move as destabilizing.

Two Chinese coast guard vessels sailed into Japan's exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture, and in response to radio hails from the Japan Coast Guard, they claimed they were patrolling waters under Chinese jurisdiction — the first time the Chinese coast guard has asserted jurisdiction over Japan in those waters.

A video claims that recently there are no longer Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal, and the relevant vessels of the China Coast Guard, Navy, and Southern Theater Command have all pulled back and retreated.

The China Coast Guard launched a so‑called law‑enforcement patrol in the eastern waters of Taiwan, and the Ministry of Transport subsequently organized a special maritime traffic law‑enforcement and sweep‑survey operation, checking 198 passing vessels.

In August 2025, in the waters near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, a Chinese coast guard vessel collided violently with another Chinese warship while chasing a Philippine patrol boat. Philippine officials released video of the incident, saying the accident was caused by the Chinese side obstructing a resupply operation for Philippine fishermen.

The China Coast Guard fleet, previously managed by the State Oceanic Administration, has been transferred in its entirety to the People's Armed Police Force.

The Chinese Coast Guard is wholly placed under the command of the People's Armed Police, belongs to the PAP sequence, but externally still enforces the law as a coast guard.