MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. deployed two warships Wednesday in a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas accident that raised alarms about maritime safety.

This comes after a Chinese warship crashed into one of its own country's coast guard vessels as it chased a patrol boat belonging to the Philippines

In a statement, the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command said the USS Higgins had entered the waters "without approval of the Chinese government" on Wednesday