On July 21, 2026 the director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of
Boundary and Ocean Affairs urgently summoned the Philippine ambassador to China
and lodged a stern protest over a deliberate Philippine provocation at Ren'ai
Reef and an attack on China Coast Guard law‑enforcement personnel. China said
Ren'ai Reef is part of China's Nansha (Spratly) Islands and Chinese territory,
and that China Coast Guard operations in waters near the reef were lawful.
Beijing accused a Philippine illegally grounded warship of launching two rubber
boats that approached dangerously and struck China Coast Guard vessels, and said
Philippine personnel maliciously harassed and attacked Chinese law‑enforcement
officers, endangering their safety. China said the Philippines provoked the
incident, distorted facts and maliciously hyped it; Beijing expressed strong
dissatisfaction, demanded the Philippines immediately stop provocations and stop
hyping the incident, and warned it will take measures to firmly defend its
territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
