The Philippines has again called on Beijing to stop its “provocative actions” in the disputed South China Sea, saying it had summoned the Chinese ambassador after two near collisions between Chinese and Filipino ships over the weekend.
The incidents took place on Sunday near Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as the Philippines tried to resupply sailors on the Sierra Madre, a ship it grounded there in 1999.
Beijing and Manila have each blamed the other for causing the near collisions.
Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippines National Security Council, told a press conference on Monday that one of the Philippines’s boats was damaged in the incident although nobody on board was injured.
Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela told reporters the damage amounted to “more than a scratch” but that its seaworthiness would be more closely assessed once the ship was back in port.
Beijing acknowledged on Sunday that there had been a “near collision” between the ships, but said it was the Philippines’s fault.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the vessels were travelling “headlong” towards the lagoon and the Chinese ships took “professional and restrained” action to “uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”. It added that it would continue to take such actions in defence of its “maritime rights”.
Manila, meanwhile, said the Chinese vessel engaged in “dangerous blocking manoeuvres” and said a Philippine coastguard vessel escorting the resupply boat was also “bumped” by a ship from China’s maritime militia.
Beijing continues to claim almost the entire South China Sea under its nine-dash line even after it was ruled to be without basis by an international court in July 2016. The Philippines as well as Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the sea.
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