Chinese soldiers attacked Philippine Navy ship with axes and spears at sea in Galwan
The recent attack by Chinese coast guards on Philippines Navy boats with spears, axes and hammers is reminiscent of the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. Both incidents reflect Chinese aggression towards its neighbours in disputed areas.
Chinese troops rammed and boarded two Philippine navy boats, and Axes, spears, knives and hammers were used to damage the boats. The Chinese aggression in a disputed region of the South China Sea appeared similar to the attack by China in the Galwan Valley in June 2020. Indians called the Chinese aggression against the people of the Philippines “Galwan 2.0 in the South China Sea”.
The two troops sounded sirens as they shouted at each other. One of the several Filipino soldiers injured in the Chinese attack lost his right thumb. After the clash, the Chinese damaged the boats and seized eight M4 rifles, which were packed in boxes, navigation equipment and other supplies, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
It seemed like a disturbing echo of the 2020 Galwan Valley incident involving the People’s Republic of China and the Indian Army, and Vice Admiral Girish Luthra (Retd) asked if this was a “Galwan-type strategy by China at sea?”
“Philippine military says Chinese coast guard boarding parties used swords, knives, spears etc and injured Philippine personnel in the battle near 2nd Thomas/Ayungin Shoal. China’s Galwan-like tactics at sea,” Girish Luthra, former chief of the Indian Navy’s Western and Southern Naval Command, wrote on X.
Galwan Valley clashes of 2020
As pointed out by the Indian Navy veteran, the incident with the Filipinos is vividly reminiscent of the Galwan Valley incident in India, where People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers engaged in a series of skirmishes, then clashes with Indian Army personnel using metal spiked sticks and rods wrapped in barbed wire.
The immediate cause of the incident was Controversy over a temporary bridge built by China In the Galwan River Valley.
On June 15, Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a six-hour-long clash in a steep mountainous region of Ladakh, where the two sides exchanged blows using makeshift weapons such as stones, sticks and iron rods.
The fighting took place in almost complete darkness and sub-zero temperatures, with many soldiers falling to their deaths or being pushed off hills. 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the clash, while China officially confirmed the deaths of four soldiers, though reports suggest that Chinese losses were much higher, with several soldiers drowning while trying to cross the fast-flowing Galwan River.
Of the twenty Indian Army personnel, Colonel B Santosh Babu, Commanding Officer of the 16th Bihar Regiment, was martyred in the clashes initiated by the aggressive PLA troops.
The clashes in Galwan demonstrated China’s unwarranted aggression towards its neighbours.
Echoes of Galwan in Chinese attack in South China Sea (SCS)
The Chinese attack on the Philippines naval ships was marked by many on social media as reminiscent of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
After reports surfaced of the PLA using axes, spears, knives and hammers to damage the boats, an axe handle called The Raisina Hills wrote, “Galwan 2.0 in South China Sea. Chinese coast guards surround Philippines boats, show spears and axes.”
“Galwan at sea. Chinese Coast Guard demonstrating melee weapons in confrontation with Philippines Coast Guard at Ayungin Shoal,” wrote another X handle specialising in open-source intelligence.
Another user named Pasmanda Premi highlighted a similar strategy of China and said, “China is just causing war.”
South China Sea dispute
The South China Sea has long been the center of territorial disputes Tensions have escalated between China and its neighbours, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. China’s assertiveness in claiming almost the entire South China Sea has led to tensions with other countries.
Recent incidents of Chinese aggression have raised concerns about the possibility of a military confrontation.
The recent South China Sea incident can also be seen in the light of a new Chinese law of 2021, which gives the coast guard the power to seize foreign ships illegally entering China’s territorial waters and detain their crews for up to 60 days.
The law faced resistance from the governments of several coastal states, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
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