Canada Concerned By Incident in Second Thomas Shoal

Trisha Matabalan, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
July 22, 2026

(Photo courtesy: Embassy of Canada in the Philippines/FB)

PHILIPPINES – The Embassy of Canada in the Philippines recently released a statement on July 22, Wednesday, regarding the incident with the Filipino marine and the Chinese coast guard personnel on disputed territories near the Second Thomas Shoal. The incident left the marine with an injury to the head, sustained from a blow from the coastguard personnel’s wooden baton.

The Filipino marine was stationed near the grounded Philippine warship, BRP Sierra Madre, as the Philippines uses that area as a military outpost. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ratified by China, the Second Thomas Shoal is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, despite Beijing’s insistence on having ownership of the entire South China Sea.

In the recent statement, the Embassy of Canada declared that they “oppose the use of intimidation and unilateral actions that risk the safety of vessels and undermine regional stability. Disputes must be resolved peacefully in accordance with UNCLOS.”