China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships

[Pelican Press 0]

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China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships

The Philippines and China have exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway.

The collision near the Sabina Shoal on Saturday was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Portions of the waterway, where $US3 trillion ($A4.4 trillion) worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found China’s sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela showed videos of Saturday’s confrontation at a news conference, saying China Coast Guard vessel 5205 “directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel” without provocation.

The ramming damaged the 97-metre Teresa Magbanua, one of the Philippines’ largest coast guard cutters, but no personnel were injured, Tarriela said.

Liu Dejun, a spokesman for China’s coast guard, said a Philippine ship, “illegally stranded” at the shoal, had lifted anchor and “deliberately rammed” a ******** vessel.

He called on the Philippines to withdraw immediately or bear the consequences.

“The ******** coast guard will take the measures required to resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance and infringement and resolutely safeguard the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Liu said in a statement.

Tarriela said Manila would not withdraw its ship “despite the harassment, the bullying activities and escalatory action of the ******** coast guard”.

The Philippines deployed a ship in April to the Sabina Shoal, 75 nautical miles from the coast of the Philippine province of Palawan.

Manila accused Beijing of building an artificial island, saying it had documented piles of ***** and crushed coral on the sandbars, which Beijing denies.

This week the Philippine maritime council said ******** aircraft made unsafe manoeuvres against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over two other disputed areas, the Scarborough Shoal and Subi reef.

The Philippines accused China of blocking a routine resupply mission on Sunday, saying ******** vessels rammed and used water cannons on a fisheries bureau ship transporting food, fuel and medical supplies for ********* fishermen.

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