Philippines and China say ships collided at new South China Sea flashpoint
Ships from China and the Philippines have collided during a confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, with each blaming the other for the incident.
The collision occurred at 3:24 am local time on Monday at Sabina Shoal, a location roughly 140 kilometers (86 miles) west of Palawan, the nearest significant Philippine island.
China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu alleged that the Philippine vessels had 'illegally' entered the waters surrounding the contested atoll and intentionally collided with the Chinese ship.
In response, Gan stated, 'The China Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law.'
The Spratly Islands, also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, are located more than 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) from China's Hainan Island.
Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea refuted China's version of events, asserting that the Chinese vessels were at fault. According to the Task Force, Beijing's ships were engaging in "unlawful and aggressive maneuvers" near the shoal, resulting in damage to two of its coast guard vessels.
The Task Force reported that the confrontation 'resulted in collisions causing structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard [PCG] vessels' and released photographs showing the damage.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have been escalating, particularly since China claims nearly the entire South China Sea under its 'nine-dash line,' a claim dismissed as baseless by an international court ruling in 2016.
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