Beijing: Philippines and Chinese vessels collided with each other in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday. Both countries blamed each other for the collision. At one end Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said the incident took place as a Philippine ship manoeuvred in an “unprofessional manner”, on the other hand, the Philippines accused the Chinese side of “deliberately, ramming into the BRP Teresa Magbanua, the Philippine Coast Guard’s largest vessel.
“Unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a collision,” Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said. He further asserted that the Chinese ship 5205 was operating within regulations.
Video Of The Incident:
This afternoon, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed and collided with the BRP Teresa Magbanua three times, despite no provocation from the Philippine Coast Guard. pic.twitter.com/jYnrXKpY3W
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 31, 2024
Meanwhile, Alexander Lopez, spokesperson for the Philippines' National Maritime Council (NMC) said that the matter has been taken with serious concern. “Well, the position of the government, especially the National Maritime Council, we take this with serious concern,” Lopez said as quoted by IANS.
The incident took place about 75 nautical miles from Palawan. State-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that a China Coast Guard (CCG) said that due to the collision, BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained damage in its bridge wing and freeboard. No injuries have been reported to the crew. The ship remained anchored inside the Sabina Shoal.
"The Chinese ship turned around, then rammed the PCG vessel anew, hitting the starboard quarter. After this, it went around and then did another ramming to the PCG vessel. On the port beam of MRRV-9701, the CCG vessel 5205 once again directly and intentionally rammed the PCG vessel, said Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard's spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea as quoted PNA.
China said that it had warned the Philippine side to "face up to reality and abandon illusions". The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China and the Philippines in the northwest.
(With inputs from IANS)