A recent confrontation between the Philippine and Chinese coast guards in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) is seen as an escalation in the border dispute between the two countries. On February 6, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel used a military-grade laser to temporarily blind the crew of a Philippine Coast Guard ship while navigating a shallow portion of the disputed waters. Following the incident, experts in international law are debating whether the incident constitutes an “armed attack” by the Chinese on the Filipino crew.