A Philippine vessel crashed with one of China’s ships near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Sunday, sending Filipino “personnel” overboard. China’s coast guard reported that it saved the individuals.
China’s assertions were denounced as “completely unfounded” by the Philippines.The two countries have engaged in many naval skirmishes in recent months, and on Saturday Manila charged China with having fired flares at one of its patrol planes twice.
China has disregarded an international tribunal’s decision that its claims lack legal support and has persisted in pushing its claims to nearly the whole sea.
China said that the Philippine ship had struck a Chinese Coast Guard ship “deliberately”.
It said the collision took place near the disputed Sabina Shoal, 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometres from Hainan island, the closest Chinese landmass.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said the collision occurred when a Philippine vessel refused to comply with “control measures” after attempting to deliver supplies to another vessel “illegally stationed” near Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands — using the Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands also claimed by Manila.
“China warns the Philippines to immediately cease its infringing actions, otherwise the Philippines will bear all consequences resulting from this situation,” Gan said.
The Philippines said that while on a humanitarian trip to replenish Filipino fishermen’s supplies of food, fuel, and medical supplies, their ships came across “aggressive and dangerous maneuvers” from the Chinese side.
According to a statement from Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, the Chinese vessels “made close perilous maneuvers that resulted in ramming, blasted horns, and deployed water cannons,” which caused the resupply operation to be terminated early after their ship experienced engine failure.
“These unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve,” the statement said, adding that no one was harmed.Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed a Chinese ship approaching and ramming the left side of its vessel.Another clip showed a Chinese vessel travelling parallel to the Philippine ship, just metres away.
