The Chinese coast guard came in small boats with axes, long knives and spears.
They used the crude weapons to slash and puncture the Philippine military’s rubber craft. One Chinese boat rammed a Philippine boat at high speed, severing the thumb of a Filipino seaman who was holding on to the side of his ride.
Video footage isn’t paywalled for those interested in viewing it without a subscription or an archive link.
Reminds me of that footage of the Chinese and Indian militaries beating the shit out of eachother with wooden sticks because they were worried even small arms fire could cause enough echo to start an avalanche.