Both sides blamed each other for the collision, which occurred at a disputed reef near the Spratly Islands.
The Chinese Coast Guard has accused the Philippines of deliberately colliding with a Chinese ship. According to the Chinese statement, two Philippine Coast Guard ships entered waters near the reef, ignored the warning of the Chinese Coast Guard, and one of the ships deliberately collided with a Chinese ship. “The Philippines bears full responsibility for the collision and warns the Philippine side to immediately stop the violation and provocation or bear all the consequences,” the statement said.
According to a statement by the Philippines, two of its ships heading to the islands of Batag and Lawak in the area saw Chinese vessels “conducting illegal and aggressive maneuvers, resulting in a collision, causing structural damage to the two Philippine vessels.”
China and the Philippines are at odds over the energy- and fish-rich, strategically important South China Sea, through which billions of dollars worth of goods are shipped each year. Beijing claims almost all of the territory, but the Philippines — like Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei — also claims certain areas.
China is ignoring a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which in 2016 recognized the legitimacy of Manila's claim.
Cover image source: Rights management via Getty Images
