Philippine officials say Chinese forces seized 2 navy boats in disputed shoal, injuring sailors

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine security officials say Chinese forces have seized two Philippine rubber boats that were delivering food and other supplies to a military ship outpost in a disputed South China Sea shoal in a tense confrontation in which some Filipino navy personnel were injured. The United States renewed a warning Tuesday that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its treaty ally, a day after the hourslong hostilities in Second Thomas Shoal. The shoal has been occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent aboard a long-grounded warship that has been closely monitored by China’s coast guard and navy in a yearslong territorial standoff. China and the Philippines blamed each other for Monday’s hostilities, the most serious in recent months, but provided few details.