Image Credits: Wikipedia The United States on Monday condemned what it called China’s “dangerous and aggressive” actions against Philippine navy personnel after a confrontation at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea left a Filipino sailor injured. According to the Philippine military, a Chinese coast guard officer repeatedly struck a Filipino sailor on the head with a wooden baton during the encounter, injuring the sailor and damaging a Philippine navy rubber boat near the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded naval vessel serving as Manila’s outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. “The United States condemns China’s dangerous and aggressive actions against Philippine navy personnel at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on July 20, 2026, and calls on China to immediately cease its destabilizing conduct,” US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. Pigott said China’s “troubling pattern of provocation” against lawful Philippine maritime operations undermined regional peace and stability and contradicted Beijing’s repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully. “We stand with our Ally, the Philippines,” he said, adding that the United States commended the professionalism and restraint shown by Philippine navy personnel during the incident. The United States also reaffirmed the July 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling, which found that China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law. Washington said the ruling is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines. According to Manila, the confrontation began when a Chinese inflatable boat carrying eight personnel approached the BRP Sierra Madre, circled the vessel and took photographs. The Philippines said two navy rubber boats were sent to drive the Chinese boat away, after which the Chinese personnel reacted “violently and aggressively.” US Ambassa