In a troubling incident in the South China Sea, Chinese military personnel attacked two Philippine navy boats, employing axes, spears, machetes, and hammers to inflict severe damage. This aggressive move in a disputed area has been likened to the infamous Galwan Valley clash of June 2020.

The confrontation began with sirens blaring and troops from both sides shouting at each other. Amid the chaos, a Filipino soldier lost his right thumb to the violent assault. Following a scuffle, the Chinese forces severely damaged the boats and confiscated eight M4 rifles, navigation equipment, and other supplies, according to The Associated Press.

The eerie resemblance to the 2020 Galwan Valley incident, where Chinese and Indian troops engaged in brutal hand-to-hand combat, has not gone unnoticed. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra (Retd) questioned whether these actions represented "China's Galwan-type tactics at sea."

"The Philippine military reports that Chinese coast guard boarding parties used swords, knives, spears, etc., and injured Philippine personnel in the fight near the Second Thomas/Ayungin Shoal," Luthra wrote on social media.

The Galwan Valley clashes of 2020 involved a deadly skirmish between Chinese and Indian troops over a temporary bridge in the Galwan River valley. The six-hour nighttime clash in Ladakh resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese casualties.

Similarly, the recent aggression in the South China Sea has been flagged by many on social media as echoing the Galwan Valley clash. Reports of Chinese coast guards wielding melee weapons have drawn comparisons to the brutal methods used in Galwan.

This latest incident highlights the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, a region fraught with territorial disputes between China and its neighbors, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan. China's assertive claims over nearly the entire South China Sea have led to increased hostilities and fears of potential military confrontations.

Compounding the situation is a 2021 Chinese law granting the coast guard authority to seize foreign ships and detain their crews for up to 60 days if they are deemed to be illegally entering China's territorial waters. This law has been met with resistance from several neighboring countries, further exacerbating tensions in the region.