In response to coast guard vessel collisions in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, Beijing and Manila exchanged accusations. China claimed that the Philippines had “intentionally rammed” one of its ships and subsequently broke a temporary agreement over a contentious stretch of the waterway.
The China Coast Guard said in a statement that two Philippine Coast Guard ships had “ignored repeated warnings” and were sailing in a “unprofessional and dangerous” manner close to Sabina Shoal. The Chinese side had posted video of the collision, which happened in the early hours of Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the China Coast Guard, Gan Yu stated that “the responsibility for the collision lies entirely with the Philippine side.” “We strongly advise the Philippine side to immediately stop its provocations and infringement; otherwise, it will be responsible for all the repercussions.”
