TAIPEI (AP) — A Chinese ship and a Philippine supply vessel collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, China’s coast guard said, in the last outbreak escalation of territorial disputes that caused alarm.
The coast guard said a Philippine supply ship entered waters near Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands that is part of territory claimed by several nations. The Philippine military called the Chinese coast guard report “misleading and misleading.”
The Chinese coast guard said in a statement on the social media platform WeChat that the Philippine supply ship “ignored repeated solemn warnings from China… and came dangerously close to a Chinese vessel under normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.” .
“The Philippines is entirely responsible for this,” he added.
In Manila, the Philippine military said it would “not discuss operational details regarding the legal humanitarian rotation and resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, which is within our exclusive economic zone.” It used the Filipino name for the sandbar where Philippine navy personnel transported food, medicine and other supplies to a long-stranded warship that served as Manila’s territorial outpost.
“We will not dignify the misleading and misleading claims of China’s coast guard,” said military spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad. “The main issue remains the presence and illegal actions of Chinese ships in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, which infringes on our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”
“The CCG’s continued aggressive actions are increasing tensions in the region,” Trinidad said.
The Philippines claims that the sandbar, which is less than 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast, falls within its internationally recognized exclusive economic zone and frequently cites a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea on historical grounds.
Several incidents have occurred in recent months near the sandbar, where the Philippines maintains an outpost aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, which has been encrusted with rust since it was deliberately run aground in 1999 but remains an actively commissioned military vessel, which it means that an attack on it could be considered by the Philippines as an act of war.
China has become increasingly assertive in its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which has led to an increasing number of direct conflicts with other countries in the region, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam.
A new Chinese law, which came into force on Saturday, authorizes its coast guard to seize foreign ships “illegally entering China’s territorial waters” and to detain foreign crews for up to 60 days. The law renewed a reference to 2021 legislation that says China’s coast guard can fire on foreign ships if necessary.
At least three coastal governments with claims to the waters — the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan — said they would not recognize the law.
The territorial disputes have strained relations and raised fears that the conflict could push China and the United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, into a military confrontation. Washington makes no territorial claims over the busy shipping lane, an important global trade route, but has warned that it is obliged to defend the Philippines if Philippine forces, ships and aircraft suffer an armed attack in the South China Sea.
In addition to China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei are also involved in long-running territorial disputes, which are considered a flashpoint in Asia and a delicate fault line in the long-running rivalry between the US and China in the region.
Indonesia has also clashed with Chinese coast guards and fishing fleets in the past in the gas-rich waters off the Natuna Islands. on the shores of the South China Sea, where he exploded Chinese fishing boats he had taken into custody. His navy also fired warning shots at Chinese ships straying into what Jakarta considers its exclusive economic zone.
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Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed from Manila, Philippines.
