The Philippines and China clashed in disputed waters of the South China Sea yesterday over what Manila said was a resupply mission for fishermen, the latest in a series of sea and air confrontations in the strategic waterway.
The incident overshadows efforts by both nations to rebuild trust and better manage disputes after months of confrontations, including a violent clash in June, in which a Filipino sailor lost a finger.
The Philippines yesterday accused China of “aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres” to block the resupply mission. China’s coast guard, meanwhile, said it had taken “control measures” against a vessel that had “illegally” entered the waters and repeatedly approached Chinese ships in a dangerous manner.
In the incident near the Sabina Shoal, the Philippine South China Sea task force said Chinese vessels rammed and used water cannons against a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries ship transporting food, fuel and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen.
For its part, the Chinese coast guard said the Philippine ship “ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed” China’s law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision. It added that responsibility for the collision lies entirely on the Philippine side.
