"Philippine Supply Boats Defy Chinese Coast Guard Blockade in South China Sea"

Two Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in the South China Sea to deliver supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal. The Philippine vessels were blocked by Chinese coast guard ships for about five hours in a tense standoff. The encounter highlights the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea involving multiple countries and has become a point of contention in the U.S.-China rivalry. The United States Navy deployed a surveillance plane during the confrontation, and the U.S. has warned that it will defend its treaty ally, the Philippines, if attacked in the South China Sea.