Tensions in the South China Sea flared again after the Philippine Coast Guard cutter BRP Teresa Magbanua closed to roughly 100 metres of China Coast Guard patrol ships 21550 and 5009 near Scarborough Shoal on 15 July. Chinese officials described the high-speed manoeuvres as a “malicious act of provocation”, while Manila has not formally commented. No collision or injuries were reported, but Beijing warned of “serious consequences” if similar incidents occur. The confrontation is the latest in a series of overlapping patrols and close encounters across the region. China Coast Guard ship 4203 recently steamed to within 55 nautical miles of Manila Bay, prompting three Philippine Coast Guard vessels to take station just outside the country’s 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone. Farther south, China Coast Guard vessel 5403 has been asserting Beijing’s claims at Malaysia’s Kasawari gas development in Luconia Shoals since 19 June, shadowed intermittently by the Royal Malaysian Navy’s littoral mission ship KD Keris. The near-miss at Scarborough Shoal underscores the risk of miscalculation as rival coast guards step up operations around disputed reefs and energy projects.