China says Philippine ship deliberately hit coastguard boat near disputed shoal

China’s coastguard says a Philippine ship deliberately collided with one of its vessels in a confrontation near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday, as tensions escalate in the South China Sea.

The coastguard used water cannons and other “control measures” against the Philippine vessels it said were conducting “illegal activities” in the area.

It is the latest flare-up between the rival claimants to the atoll – known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines – and comes days after Beijing announced a plan to create a nature reserve there.

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“The China Coast Guard, acting in accordance with the law, took control measures against multiple Philippine government vessels engaged in illegal activities within the territorial waters of Huangyan Island,” the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Coastguard spokesman Gan Yu said in a separate statement that the Chinese had warned the Philippine ships, restricted their navigation and used water cannons in the incident.

“More than 10” Philippine government vessels had illegally entered China’s territorial waters around Huangyan Island from multiple directions, according to Gan.

He said one Philippine ship had ignored warnings and deliberately collided with a Chinese coastguard vessel, calling it an “unprofessional and dangerous” act, without elaborating.

South China Morning Post