China Deploys Aircraft Carrier Fujian After Collision With Philippine Vessel

China announced the deployment of its newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, to the South China Sea on Tuesday for testing and training exercises, just hours after a reported collision between Chinese and Philippine vessels at the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The move, described by Beijing as routine in the carrier's construction phase, comes amid heightened maritime frictions, where China claims nearly the entire sea despite overlapping assertions from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The 2016 UNCLOS tribunal ruling favored Manila's rights, including to the shoal—known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China—but Beijing rejected the decision and has maintained de facto control since seizing it in 2012.

The Fujian, China's third carrier and the first domestically designed with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system akin to the U.S. USS Gerald R. Ford, transited the Taiwan Strait on September 12 en route south, marking its first such passage during ongoing sea trials that began in May 2024. Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin emphasized the mission's focus on scientific research and training, not targeting any nation, and affirmed China's defensive posture. Expected to enter service by late 2025 or early 2026 after eight prior trials, the 80,000-ton vessel joins the operational Liaoning (refitted Soviet-era, 2012) and Shandong (indigenous, 2019), enabling three-carrier operations across key theaters. Analysts view the timing as a power projection amid recent U.S.-Philippines joint drills and Taiwan Strait concerns.

The collision occurred around 10 a.m. near the shoal, where over 10 Philippine government vessels approached to assert claims and support fishing activities, prompting China Coast Guard (CCG) intervention with warnings, route controls, and water cannons. CCG spokesperson Gan Yu accused one Philippine ship of deliberately ramming a CCG vessel in a "dangerous and unprofessional" act, holding Manila fully responsible for the "provocative infringement." This follows China's recent designation of parts of the shoal as a national nature reserve, which drew a Philippine diplomatic protest. Manila has not yet commented on Tuesday's incident but has repeatedly cited the UNCLOS ruling to bolster its patrols, backed by a U.S. mutual defense treaty.

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International allies swiftly condemned China's actions, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the reserve "yet another coercive move" undermining neighbors. Britain, Australia, and Canada echoed concerns over using environmental pretexts for territorial grabs, urging de-escalation in the vital trade route rich in fisheries and resources. As incidents proliferate—echoing August's intra-Chinese collision during a Philippine resupply—both sides risk miscalculation, with experts warning of broader regional instability.

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