China accuses Philippines of deliberately colliding with Chinese ship

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships collided at sea, damaging at least two vessels, in an early Monday confrontation near a new flashpoint in their increasingly troubling standoff in the disputed South China Sea.

Both sides traded blame for the incident near Sabina Shoal, a disputed atoll in the Spratly Islands, parts of which are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. No casualties were reported.

China’s coast guard has accused the Philippines of deliberately colliding with a Chinese vessel. It said in a statement on its website that two Philippine coast guard vessels entered waters near a reef, ignored a warning from the Chinese coast guard and deliberately collided with a Chinese boat at 3:24 a.m.

“The Philippine side bears full responsibility for this collision. We warn the Philippine side to immediately stop its violation and provocation, otherwise it will bear all the consequences,” ministry spokesman Jean Yu said.

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general of the Philippine government’s National Security Council, accused the Chinese Coast Guard of falsely saying that Philippine Coast Guard vessels rammed their ships.

Malaya told a news forum in Manila that videos and photos, including those taken by journalists from a US television network who were on board a Philippine coast guard ship, showed that Chinese ships caused the collisions.

The Philippine National Task Force in the West Philippine Sea said two coast guard ships, BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño, “encountered illegal and aggressive maneuvers” from Chinese coast guard vessels while heading to the Philippine-occupied islands of Batag and Lawak in the disputed area.

“These dangerous maneuvers resulted in collisions, causing structural damage to the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels,” the statement said.

The Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese ship rammed the cargo ship BRP Cape Engaño, leaving a 1.1-metre (3.6-foot) hole on the starboard side. The engine exhaust was also damaged, it added.

About 16 minutes later, another Chinese ship collided with the other Philippine ship, the BRP Bagacay, twice on its left and right sides, creating a crater 3 feet (36 inches) wide and 2.5 feet (30 inches) long and a dent 1 foot (12 inches) deep, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

“This is the largest structural damage we have suffered as a result of the dangerous maneuvers carried out by the Chinese Coast Guard,” Philippine Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jay Tarella said at the news forum.

The task force said the Philippine Coast Guard “stands firm in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain while addressing any threats to our national interests.”

China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands, known in China as the Nansha Islands, including the Sabina Islands and their adjacent waters, said Gan, a spokesman for the Chinese coast guard. The Chinese name for the Sabina Islands is Xianbin Reef.

In a separate statement, he said a Philippine ship that had been pushed away from the Sabina Islands had entered waters near the disputed Second Thomas Islands, ignoring warnings from the Chinese coast guard. “The Chinese coast guard took control measures against the Philippine ship in accordance with law and regulations,” he added.

China’s Foreign Ministry also blamed the Philippines for the incident. “Not only did they ignore the warnings of the Chinese Coast Guard, but the ships deliberately collided with Chinese Coast Guard vessels carrying out law enforcement operations in a dangerous manner,” ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a press briefing on Monday.

The Sabina Islands, located about 140 kilometres (85 miles) west of Palawan province in the western Philippines, have become a new flashpoint in territorial disputes between China and the Philippines.

In April, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed one of its flagship patrol vessels, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to Sabina after Filipino scientists discovered submerged piles of crushed coral in shallow waters, raising suspicions that China may be preparing to build a structure on the atoll. The Chinese Coast Guard later deployed a ship to Sabina in a new territorial standoff.

Sabina is located near the Philippine-occupied second island of Thomas Shoal, which was the scene of the increasingly worrying confrontations Between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships and their escorts since last year.

China and Philippines come to an agreement Last month, the Philippines decided to prevent further confrontations when it moved replacement guard forces, along with food and other supplies, to a Manila-based outpost on Second Thomas Island, which had been heavily guarded by Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia vessels.

The Philippine Navy has been moving food and personnel to Thomas Island II a week after the deal was reached and no incidents have been reported, raising hopes for an easing of tensions on the island. But Monday’s incident raises questions about whether the deal will make a difference.

“We are of course disappointed again. Despite this initial understanding, which we hoped would be the first page in a new chapter in Philippine-China relations, another incident has occurred,” Malaya said.

“We hope the Philippines will keep its promise, earnestly abide by the preliminary agreement reached with China, and not take actions that will complicate the situation, so as to work with us to jointly manage and monitor the maritime situation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said.

China has been at odds with several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region for years over its sweeping maritime claims, including almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway rich in resources.

Beijing is rapidly expanding its military power and has become more assertive in pursuing its goals. its territorial claimsWhich led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, although it was also involved in Long-standing regional conflicts With Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

The United States stands with the Philippines “in condemning the dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese Coast Guard near the Sabina Shoal that have put lives at risk and caused damage” to two Philippine vessels, US Ambassador Mary Kay Carlson said on social media platform X. “We are committed to upholding the rights of our friends, partners, and allies under international law,” the statement added.

A Arbitration award issued by the United Nations Court in 2016 India’s Supreme Court has invalidated Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea, but China did not participate in the proceedings and rejected the ruling.

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Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines. Associated Press video producer Liu Cheng in Beijing contributed to this report.