Key facts
- China has officially acknowledged the deaths of two coast guard personnel in a collision.
- The incident occurred in August last year in the South China Sea.
- The personnel, Yi Xinyu (21) and Cheng Long (25), died during a maritime rights protection mission.
- Their deaths were listed on an official commemorative website run by China's veterans' affairs ministry.
- The collision involved a Chinese coast guard ship and a Chinese naval destroyer near Scarborough Shoal.
- The Philippines had previously stated that two Chinese personnel died and a third was missing.
Chinese authorities have officially acknowledged the deaths of two coast guard personnel who perished in a collision with a Chinese naval destroyer in the South China Sea last August. This marks the first time China has confirmed fatalities in the incident, which occurred near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
The two individuals, Yi Xinyu, aged 21, and Cheng Long, aged 25, have been listed as 'martyrs' on an official commemorative website managed by China's veterans' affairs ministry. Their citations indicate they died while on a 'maritime rights protection mission' and a 'frontline South China Sea operation.'
Previously, China had not directly confirmed the collision or any casualties. However, the Philippines' former National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano had stated at the time that two Chinese personnel were dead and a third was missing. The collision itself was reported to have occurred on August 11 as Chinese vessels maneuvered against Philippine coast guard operations supporting fishermen.
Reuters had previously reported that satellite imagery showed the Chinese coast guard vessel involved in the incident was undergoing repairs on Hainan Island. The incident is the first known collision between Chinese vessels in the region amid ongoing tensions over territorial claims.