BEIJING, Sept 1 – China and the Philippines on Saturday (Aug 31) accused each other of deliberately ramming their coast guard ships near a flashpoint shoal in the South China Sea, the latest in a spate of similar incidents in recent weeks.
Beijing claims almost all of the economically vital body of water despite competing claims from other countries and an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
A Chinese coast guard spokesperson said Saturday’s incident took place off the disputed Sabina Shoal, which has emerged as a new hotspot in the long-running maritime confrontations between the two countries.
Sabina Shoal is located 140km west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200km from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese landmass.
Shortly after noon, a Philippine ship “deliberately collided with” a Chinese vessel near the shoal, known in Chinese as Xianbin, China Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
“China exercises indisputable sovereignty” in this zone, Liu said, condemning the “unprofessional and dangerous” conduct of the Philippine vessel.
However, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said it was the China Coast Guard vessel 5205 that “directly and intentionally rammed” the Philippines’ ship, BRP Teresa Magbanua.
