Accusations of ship ramming between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea have escalated tensions in the disputed region.
China’s coastguard claimed that a Philippine ship deliberately collided with a Chinese vessel at the Sabina Shoal, while the Philippine coastguard accused a Chinese ship of intentionally ramming one of their own.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the collisions that occurred in the contentious area located west of Palawan island.
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China’s coastguard, emphasized their sovereignty in the region and vowed to protect their territorial rights.
On the other hand, Jay Tarriela, the Philippines coastguard spokesman, criticized China’s actions for disregarding collision regulations and causing damage to their vessel.
The clashes occurred despite the Philippines’ presence in the area, which lies within their exclusive economic zone.
These incidents follow a recent rescue operation by China’s coastguard after a confrontation that resulted in Filipino personnel falling overboard.
In a previous clash, a Filipino sailor suffered injuries when Chinese coastguard members used weapons to thwart a…
Post from www.aljazeera.com