Philippines says two coast guard vessels damaged by China’s ‘unlawful manoeuvres’, while Beijing says it took ‘control measures’ after vessels illegally entered waters around shoal
Chinese and Philippine vessels collided on Monday during a confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, the two countries said.
Both countries blamed each other for the incident near the Sabina Shoal.
China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the vital waterway in recent months, including around a warship grounded years ago by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal that hosts a garrison. Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu said a Philippine vessel had “deliberately collided” with a Chinese ship early on Monday.
“Philippine coast guard vessels . illegally entered the waters near the Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government,” Geng said, using the Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands.
“The China coast guard took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law,” Geng added.
Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, meanwhile, said two of its coast guard ships were damaged in collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting “unlawful and aggressive manoeuvres” near the Sabina Shoal.
