China and Philippine coast guard vessels clashed again in the South China Sea, marking the latest flareup in the disputed waters and undermining a temporary deal to avoid conflict. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Read More: Why the U.S. Faces a Delicate Balancing Act on Countering China in the South China Sea The incident occurred early Monday when two vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard “illegally” attempted to enter waters around Xianbin Reef, the Chinese Coast Guard said in a flurry of four statements released on its WeChat account.