China accuses Philippines of deliberately colliding with Chinese ship

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships collided at sea, damaging at least two boats, in a confrontation early Monday near a new flashpoint in their increasingly troubling standoff in the disputed South China Sea.

Each side blamed the other for the collision near Sabina Shoal, a disputed atoll in the Spratly Islands, which Vietnam and Taiwan both claim. No injuries were reported.

The Chinese coast guard has accused the Philippines of deliberately colliding with a Chinese vessel. Two Philippine coast guard vessels entered waters near the shallows, ignored the warning of the Chinese coast guard and deliberately collided with a Chinese boat at 3:24 a.m., a Chinese coast guard spokesman said in a statement on its website.

“The Philippine side bears full responsibility for this collision. We warn the Philippine side to immediately stop its violation and provocation, otherwise it will bear all the consequences,” said Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhan Yu.

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general of the Philippine government’s National Security Council, accused the Chinese coast guard of spreading misinformation after he said Philippine coast guard vessels had rammed his ships.

Videos and photos, including those taken by journalists from a US television network who were on board a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, showed that Chinese ships caused the latest high-seas collisions, Malaya said at a news forum in Manila.

The Philippine National Task Force in the West Philippine Sea said two coast guard ships, BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño, “encountered illegal and aggressive maneuvers” from Chinese coast guard vessels while heading to the Philippine-occupied islands of Batag and Lawak in the disputed area.

“These dangerous maneuvers resulted in collisions, causing structural damage to the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels,” the statement said.

The task force said the collision between the Philippine ship BRP Cape Engaño and one of the Chinese vessels left a hole on the deck of the Philippine ship about 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) in diameter.

About 16 minutes later, another Chinese ship collided with the other Philippine ship, BRP Bagacay, twice on its port and starboard sides, causing structural damage, according to the task force.

“This is the largest structural damage we have suffered as a result of the dangerous maneuvers carried out by the Chinese Coast Guard,” Rear Admiral Jay Tarella of the Philippine Coast Guard told a news forum in Manila.

“The Philippine Coast Guard is steadfast in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain while addressing any threats to our national interests,” the Philippine Task Force said.

China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands, known in China as the Nansha Islands, including the Sabina Islands and their adjacent waters, Zhan added. The Chinese name for the Sabina Islands is Xianbin Reef.

In a separate statement, he said the Philippine ship that was turned away from the Sabina Islands entered waters near the disputed Second Thomas Islands, ignoring warnings from the Chinese Coast Guard. “The Chinese Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine ship in accordance with law and regulations,” he added.

The Sabina Islands, located about 140 kilometres (87 miles) west of the western Philippine island province of Palawan, have become a new flashpoint in territorial disputes between China and the Philippines.

In April, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed one of its flagship patrol vessels, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to Sabina after Filipino scientists discovered submerged piles of crushed coral in shallow waters, raising suspicions that China may be preparing to build a structure on the atoll. The Chinese Coast Guard later deployed a ship to Sabina in a new territorial standoff.

Sabina is located near the Philippine-occupied second island of Thomas Shoal, which was the scene of the increasingly worrying confrontations Between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships and their escorts since last year.

China and Philippines come to an agreement Last month, the Philippines decided to prevent further confrontations when it moved new batches of guard troops, along with food and other supplies, to Manila’s regional outpost in the Second Thomas Islands, which had been heavily guarded by the Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia vessels.

The Philippine Navy transferred food and personnel to Thomas Island II a week after the agreement was reached and no incidents were reported, raising hopes that tensions on the island could eventually ease.

“We are of course disappointed once again. Despite this initial understanding, which we hoped would be the first page in a new chapter in relations between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, another incident has occurred,” Malaya said.

The term “PRC” refers to the official name of China, the People’s Republic of China.

China has been at odds with several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region for years over its sweeping maritime claims, including nearly all of the South China Sea, a strategic, resource-rich waterway that has drawn Beijing into it. A line of 10 lines on official maps to mark what it says is its territory..

Beijing is in the midst of a massive military expansion and has become more assertive in pursuing its goals. Her demandsWhich led to more frequent direct confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, although it was also involved in Long-standing regional conflicts With Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

A Arbitration award issued by the United Nations Court in 2016 India’s Supreme Court has invalidated Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea, but China did not participate in the proceedings and rejected the ruling.

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Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines.