China, Philippines trade blame over boat collision

Philippines says a Chinese ship deliberately rammed one of its government vessels in the disputed South China Sea, however, Beijing blamed Manila for the incident

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A Chinese coast guard ship used a powerful water cannon on Sunday then rammed and slightly damaged an anchored Philippine government vessel off an island inhabited by Filipinos in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippine coast guard said.

There were no injuries among Filipino crewmen of the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, part of the fisheries fleet that provides support to Filipino fishermen.

The Chinese coast guard targeted Pagbuaya off the Philippines-occupied Thitu island in the latest flareup of the long-simmering territorial disputes involving Manila, Beijing and four other governments.

The Chinese coast guard accused the Philippine vessels of illegally entering what it called Chinese waters near a cluster of sandbars known as Sandy Cay, which lies between Thitu and China's artificial island base called Subi and "ignoring repeated stern warnings from the Chinese side."

It said it "took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law and resolutely drove them away."