China's coast guard has accused a Philippine vessel of deliberately colliding with a Chinese ship in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
According to China's maritime security agency, the incident occurred after the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and entered waters near Second Thomas Shoal, a contested area between the two nations.
China's coast guard described the Philippine vessel's actions as "intentional" and labeled the collision with the Chinese ship as "unprofessional and dangerous."
This follows an earlier incident where the same Philippine vessel was reportedly blocked from entering Sabina Shoal, another disputed area.
The Chinese coast guard claimed that two Philippine Coast Guard ships "illegally entered" waters near Sabina Shoal without permission on Monday morning.
Reuters reports that a spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard accused the Philippines of repeatedly provoking and causing trouble, allegedly violating temporary agreements between the two countries regarding the disputed waters.
In response to the incident, China's coast guard stated that it had taken enforcement action against the Philippine ships "in accordance with the law" and warned the Philippines to "immediately stop violations and provocations" or face serious consequences.
The Philippine Coast Guard has not yet responded to these accusations.
Dispute Over South China Sea Waters
In July, the two countries reached an "interim agreement" following repeated disputes over these areas.
Western nations have criticized China for its aggressive actions in blocking Philippine efforts to resupply troops stationed on a naval ship anchored at Second Thomas Shoal.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its territory, a claim rejected by a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which found that Beijing's expansive claims have no basis in international law.
Despite this ruling, China has continued to assert its control over the contested waters, leading to frequent clashes with neighboring countries, including the Philippines.
