The Chinese coast guard came in small boats with axes, long knives and spears.
They used the crude weapons to slash and puncture the Philippine military’s rubber craft. One Chinese boat rammed a Philippine boat at high speed, severing the thumb of a Filipino seaman who was holding on to the side of his ride.
Video footage isn’t paywalled for those interested in viewing it without a subscription or an archive link.
What was the fucking point of this? It seems so stupid and petty. Like why even go through the trouble?
I know there have been maritime issues between China and others within the last few years or so, but seriously - what is the fucking point of doing this?
China is probing the US’s willingness to get involved in another conflict.
“Stupid and petty” is how international bullies operate. Pointless violence is how immature people express their “strength”.
I know there have been maritime issues between China and others within the last few years or so
All of the maritime issues have been caused by China attempting to claim the entire South China Sea as their private property, in defiance of international agreements about national coastal waters. All of those issues were provoked by China trying to exert control over coastal waters that are rightfully the property of other nations, such as Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. China is a bad neighbor.
“Stupid and petty” is how international bullies operate.
In other words any country having regional or global power aspirations.
Compared with the invasion of Iraq or Ukraine this is actually fairly moderated by China.
Considering the US literally couped Australia when their prime minister refused to give unconditional support for a spy base, this is small fry!
p.s. that military base in Australia now exists, the US has full autonomous control of it, stations soldiers there, and the antennae currently guiding the Israeli missiles leveling Gaza