A Chinese ship “deliberately rammed” a Philippine government vessel anchored near an island in a disputed part of the South China Sea, Manila’s coast guard said on Sunday.
Confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels occur frequently in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims nearly in its entirety despite an international ruling that the claim has no legal basis.
The Philippines said a Chinese coast guard ship “fired its water cannon” at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel belonging to Manila’s fisheries bureau, at 9.15am on Sunday.
“Just three minutes later … the same [Chinese] vessel deliberately rammed the stern” of the Philippine boat, “causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew”, the statement said.
“Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions … we will not be intimidated or driven away.”
Beijing blamed the Philippines for the collision. Liu Dejun, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, said the Philippine ship “ignored repeated stern warnings from the Chinese side, and dangerously approached” the other ship.
Manila’s coast guard said the incident took place near Thitu Island, part of the Spratly island group where Beijing has sought to assert its sovereignty claims for years.
