China and Philippines trade blame

THE Philippines said a Chinese ship deliberately rammed one of its government vessels in the disputed South China Sea yesterday, although Beijing blamed Manila for the incident.

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Confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels occur frequently in the contested waterway, which Beijing claims nearly in its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Philippines said a Chinese coast guard ship “fired its water cannon” at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel belonging to Manila’s fisheries bureau, at 9.15am yesterday.

“Just three minutes later... the same (Chinese) vessel deliberately rammed the stern” of the Philippine boat, “causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew’, the Philippine coast guard said in a statement.

It said the incident took place near Thitu Island, part of the Spratly Islands where Beijing has sought to assert its sovereignty claims for years.