Tensions soared in the South China Sea on August 13, 2025, as the USS Higgins, a powerful Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, found itself at the center of a high-stakes naval standoff with Chinese warships. At precisely 7:46 a.m. local time, the bridge crew of the USS Higgins detected a new contact on their radar, a Chinese vessel closing in swiftly from the west. The voice crackling over the radio, thick with a Mandarin accent, issued a stark warning: “US warship, you are in Chinese waters. Leave immediately.”
The sea was deceptively calm, with the Scarboro Shaw reef just visible on the horizon—a scattering of rocks and coral that has become one of the most contentious maritime flashpoints in the region. For the United States, this was international waters; for China, it was a sovereign claim, fiercely defended by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). As the Chinese warships emerged on the starboard side, their wakes slicing through the azure water, the stakes of this encounter became alarmingly clear.
The USS Higgins, a 155-meter behemoth displacing over 9,000 tons and bristling with advanced weaponry, was on a freedom of navigation operation to challenge China’s expansive maritime claims. This marked the first time in six years that a US Navy destroyer had operated in the waters surrounding Scarboro Shaw, a strategic location that sits perilously close to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. With trillions of dollars in trade at stake, control over this area is not merely about territory; it’s a critical chess piece in the broader game of naval dominance.
As the encounter unfolded, Chinese state media wasted no time in framing the narrative. They claimed that the USS Higgins had entered Chinese territorial waters without permission, stating that Chinese naval units had “monitored, warned, and driven away” the American destroyer to protect national sovereignty. This assertion was a calculated move, aimed at projecting strength both domestically and internationally.
In Washington, the response was equally resolute. A US Navy spokesperson confirmed the Higgins was indeed operating in the South China Sea, firmly rejecting claims of illegal action or forced withdrawal. The mission was described as lawful, conducted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which supports the right of innocent passage. The US Navy’s freedom of navigation operations are a regular strategy to challenge what they deem excessive maritime claims, but Beijing often interprets these actions as provocations.
As the two naval forces maneuvered in close quarters, every movement was scrutinized. The PLAN’s approach was characterized by aggressive tactics, employing high-speed maneuvers and tight parallel courses to exert pressure on the USS Higgins. In contrast, the American destroyer maintained a steady course, minimizing radio chatter and avoiding any visible preparations for combat. This delicate dance on the waves was a calculated game of brinkmanship, with both sides keenly aware that one misstep could escalate tensions into open conflict.
The Scarboro Shaw incident is emblematic of the broader geopolitical struggle playing out across the Indo-Pacific. In recent weeks, the South China Sea has been a hotbed of activity, with Chinese naval exercises and confrontations with Philippine vessels intensifying. The USS Higgins’ transit comes on the heels of renewed security ties between the Philippines and the United States, raising the stakes even higher.
As the USS Higgins completed its mission without firing a shot or colliding with Chinese vessels, the world was left with competing narratives—one portraying China as the defender of sovereignty, the other reinforcing America’s commitment to free navigation. The absence of independent verification or hard evidence from either side only deepens the uncertainty surrounding these encounters.
In a region fraught with complexity and tension, the Scarboro Shaw incident serves as a stark reminder of the precarious balance of power in the South China Sea. The next close encounter between these rival naval forces may not be so benign, and as both nations continue to assert their claims, the question looms: how close can they come without crossing the line into conflict? The answer remains elusive, but the implications of these maritime confrontations are clear—strategic waters are becoming increasingly contested, and the stakes have never been higher.
