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Chinese Coast Guard ships (background, left and right) pass the Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Cape Engano (center) on August 26, 2024. The photo was taken on the BRP Cabra while the ship was carrying out a supply mission to the Sabina Shoal in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Sta Rosa Clock Sta Rosa Clock | AFP | Getty Images
China and the Philippines accused each other of ramming their ships in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway.
China’s coast guard said a Philippine vessel “illegally stranded” on Sabina Shoal weighed anchor and “deliberately rammed” a Chinese vessel, while the Philippine coast guard said a Chinese vessel “deliberately rammed” a Manila vessel.
Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Parts of the waters, through which $3 trillion worth of trade passes each year, are believed to contain rich oil and gas deposits as well as fish.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing has rejected.
Chinese Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun called on the Philippines to immediately withdraw from the island in a statement.
Liu Jieyi said: “The Chinese Coast Guard will take necessary measures to resolutely stop all provocations, harassment and infringements, and resolutely safeguard the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
Jay Tallera, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, told a news conference that the Chinese Coast Guard ignored collision rules and performed dangerous maneuvers, causing damage to the vessel, but there were no reports of injuries so far.
The island is located within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
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