China and Philippines have a rare naval stand-off near disputed Scarborough Shoal

Media outlet says incident coincided with end of Salaknib 2026 joint military exercise also involving US, Japan, New Zealand and Australia3-MIN READ3-MIN15ListenPublished: 5:14pm, 23 Jun 2026Updated: 6:31pm, 23 Jun 2026Four Chinese warships reportedly confronted a Philippine Navy vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare stand-off on Saturday, the same day Manila wrapped up a joint drill with the US and its allies.The confrontation coincided with the end of Salaknib 2026, a nearly three-month joint military exercise involving more than 7,000 troops from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.Beijing has not commented on the incident.01:36China slams Japan’s first overseas missile launch in 80 yearsAccording to a report by 24 Oras Weekend, a Philippine television news show broadcast by GMA Network, the Philippine Navy’s Miguel Malvar-class guided-missile frigate BRP Diego Silang encountered four Chinese warships after meeting one Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval vessel earlier that morning.