Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro raised the recent clash at Ayungin Shoal with ASEAN foreign ministers on July 21 but received no response. The ministers are set to discuss the issue further as Lazaro prepares separate meetings with her US and Chinese counterparts.
The confrontation occurred on July 20 near the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal. A Filipino soldier sustained a gash after being hit by a China Coast Guard personnel with a wooden baton, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This marked the first major incident since July 2024.
Lazaro told media after the ASEAN retreat session in Manila that she presented the matter but the other ministers did not respond. She said the lack of reaction was because the issue remained under discussion between the Philippines and China.
On July 21, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese ambassador Jing Quan to Malacañang over the incident. Lazaro is scheduled to meet separately with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who are both in Manila for the ASEAN meetings.
