The Philippine military has accused the China Coast Guard of physically assaulting a Filipino sailor during a confrontation in the South China Sea on Monday.
According to Manila, the incident occurred as Philippine personnel approached a grounded vessel that serves as a long-standing garrison in the disputed Spratly Islands.
The military stated that a Chinese coast guard officer struck the sailor with a baton during the encounter.
This latest physical clash marks a significant escalation in the ongoing territorial dispute, following a period of heightened diplomatic friction.
In recent weeks, relations between the two nations have deteriorated further after the Philippine Coast Guard condemned an artificial intelligence-generated video produced by the Chinese state-run outlet China Daily.
Manila described the clip, which depicted a monkey, as racist and inflammatory, signaling a deepening rift in bilateral communications.