Chinese and Philippine ships collide near disputed Sabina Shoal in South China Sea

Philippines says two coast guard vessels damaged by China’s ‘unlawful manoeuvres’, while Beijing says it…

the Guardian

By Agence France-Presse

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.

The confrontation “resulted in collisions causing structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard vessels”, Manila said.

China claims the Sabina Shoal, which is located 140km (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan, the closest major land mass. It is more than 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

Manila and Beijing have stationed coast guard vessels around the shoal in recent months, with the Philippines fearing China is about to build an artificial island there.

Footage purporting to show the incident attributed to the Chinese coast guard and shared by state broadcaster CCTV showed one ship, identified as a Philippine vessel by the Beijing side, apparently running into the left side of a Chinese ship before moving on…