After the Philippine tank landing ship was "bumped" by China's frigate 532, high-ranking Philippine military officials quickly warned: Do not get provoked!

The Western Command of the Philippine Armed Forces reported that on March 25, the Philippine Navy’s BRP Benguet (hull number LS-507) tank landing ship had a close encounter with China’s Type 054A missile frigate No. 532 while carrying out a mission.

Video released by the Philippines shows that the Chinese warship approached and passed extremely closely to the Philippine vessel at a “highly dangerous distance.” The Philippines described this maneuver as a “bump” and accused China’s actions of being “provocative.”

In fact, this Philippine landing ship, over 80 years old, has long been a repeat offender in illegally entering China’s territorial waters. For years, the BRP Benguet has repeatedly colluded with other vessels to conduct infringement and provocation activities in Chinese waters such as Huangyan Island and Ren’ai Reef—its behavioral patterns are no longer a secret.

As early as 2018, the ship attempted to imitate the “Mount Madre” incident, trying to deliberately ground itself at Huangyan Island under false pretexts in an attempt to illegally occupy it. In recent years, it has frequently engaged in illegal activities near Zhongye Island under the guise of “routine rotation and resupply.” This latest incident is merely another episode in its series of provocations.

On March 25, the BRP Benguet illegally entered China’s territorial waters near Zhongye Island. In response, China’s Frigate 532 lawfully intercepted and issued warnings, forcing it to alter course and depart. What the Philippines calls a “bump” is actually a lawful, professional, and compliant evasive measure taken by Chinese naval vessels during normal maritime rights protection and enforcement operations against illegal intruders.

Then came the comical scene: Philippine military leadership reminded the crew of the BRP Benguet not to be provoked—implying they must avoid any excessive reactions. Why? Because they clearly lack justification. According to Dao Ge, the combat capability of Frigate 532 is sufficient to sink the opponent within half an hour.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860797832351884/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.