Philippines accuses China of ramming, damaging vessel in South China Sea

But China’s coastguard says Manila is to blasted for the latest collision successful disputed waters successful the Spratly archipelago.

The Philippines has accused China of “deliberately” ramming a Philippine authorities vas and causing insignificant harm adjacent an land successful a disputed country of the South China Sea.

China, however, blamed the Philippines for the collision connected Sunday, claiming the Philippine vas had “dangerously approached” its ship.

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Confrontations betwixt Philippine and Chinese vessels hap often successful the South China Sea, which Beijing claims astir successful its entirety.

A United Nations-backed tribunal, however, has ruled China’s claims person nary ineligible basis.

The Philippine coastguard, successful a statement, said a Chinese coastguard vessel “fired its h2o cannon” astatine the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vas belonging to Manila’s fisheries bureau, astatine 9:15am (01:15 GMT) connected Sunday.

Minutes later, the aforesaid vas “deliberately rammed” the stern of the Philippine fisheries bureau vessel, causing “minor” harm to the boat. No unit members were injured, it said.

The incidental took spot adjacent Thitu Island, it said, portion of the Spratly Islands, wherever Beijing has sought to asseverate its sovereignty claims for years, it added.

Thitu Island, known successful China arsenic Zhongye Island and successful the Philippines arsenic Pag-asa, is the largest of 9 islands, islets and reefs inhabited by Philippine forces successful the Spratly Islands and besides has a sportfishing community.

The Philippine coastguard spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela, successful a station connected X, described the latest “aggressive action” by China arsenic “bullying”.

One of the videos posted by Tarriela showed the Chinese vas concisely colliding with the Filipino vessel, which past made a crisp manoeuvre.

The Filipino-manned vessel is seen moving distant from the Chinese coastguard ship.

Another video besides showed the Chinese vas firing a h2o cannon successful the absorption of the Philippine fisheries vessel.

Philippine coastguard main Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said the latest incidental “only strengthens” the resoluteness of Manila “to not surrender a quadrate inch of our territory to immoderate overseas power”.

China dismissed the claims successful a statement.

Chinese coastguard spokesperson Liu Dejun said the incidental occurred erstwhile the Philippine vessel “ignored repeated stern warnings from the Chinese side, and dangerously approached” the different ship.

“Full work lies with the Philippine side,” Liu said successful an online statement.

Beijing has besides repeatedly accused Manila of provocations successful the disputed South China Sea, portion besides accusing it of acting arsenic a proxy of the United States.