Philippine boats breach a Chinese coast guard blockade in a faceoff near a disputed shoal

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Two Philippine supply boats have breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in the South China Sea in a recurring confrontation near a disputed shoal some fear could spark a larger security crisis that could draw in the United States. Two Philippine coast guard ships escorted the smaller supply boats on Wednesday. But it wasn’t immediately clear whether the ships were blocked by the Chinese coast guard from coming closer to the Second Thomas Shoal. A small contingent of Filipino marines has stood guard there for years aboard a long-marooned but still actively commissioned warship. China also claims the shoal and has surrounded it with its coast guard ships and militia vessels in a years-long standoff.