A tense confrontation in the disputed South China Sea ended when 25 Chinese vessels left the waters near Kota Island after being challenged by Philippine authorities. A Chinese maritime militia ship identified as CMMV 9622 arrived near the island accompanied by two dozen fishing boats and deployed them about 1.2 nautical miles offshore. Several of the smaller boats then moved to within roughly 300 yards of the shoreline while fishing. A five-member Philippine Coast Guard team was quickly dispatched to the scene and ordered the vessels to leave the area. The Chinese mothership and all 24 fishing boats complied and departed without further incident. The episode took place in the territorial waters off Kota Island in the Kalayaan Islands group. Philippine officials described the action as a successful enforcement of their sovereignty claims in the contested zone.

The rapid response by the small Coast Guard team prevented the Chinese boats from lingering closer to the shore. Once the order was given, the entire group of 25 vessels exited the area in an orderly manner. No shots were fired and no physical confrontation occurred beyond the verbal challenge. The incident highlights the ongoing friction over fishing and presence rights in the South China Sea, where overlapping claims frequently lead to these kinds of encounters. By forcing the vessels to withdraw, the Philippine Coast Guard demonstrated its willingness to patrol and defend the waters around Kota Island. The fact that the Chinese craft left without escalation offered a brief de-escalation in an otherwise persistent regional dispute. Officials continue to monitor the area to ensure no immediate return of the same group.