China and Philippines Summon Ambassadors After South China Sea Clash

China and the Philippines have summoned each other's ambassadors following a confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The incident occurred on Monday near the Second Thomas Shoal, where a Chinese coastguard vessel and two Philippine Navy rubber dinghies were involved. China lodged a formal protest, accusing the Philippines of launching an attack on its coastguards. The Philippines, in turn, summoned China's ambassador to protest the incident. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital global trade route. The Philippines maintains that the Second Thomas Shoal is part of its exclusive economic zone. The clash is the latest in a series of disputes in the region, where multiple countries have competing territorial claims. Both sides have called for calm but have also reaffirmed their positions. The Chinese coastguard stated that the Philippine vessels had illegally launched from the BRP Sierra Madre, an old warship grounded on the shoal in 1999. The Philippines has not commented on that specific claim. Diplomatic tensions remain high, with each side accusing the other of aggression. Observers warn that such incidents could escalate if not resolved through dialogue.