TAIPEI, Taiwan — China’s coast guard accused the Philippines of intentionally crashing one among its ships right into a Chinese language vessel early Monday close to Sabina Shoal, a brand new flashpoint within the more and more alarming territorial disputes between the international locations within the South China Sea.
Two Philippine coast guard ships entered waters close to the shoal, ignored the Chinese language coast guard’s warning and “intentionally collided” with one among China’s boats at 3:24 a.m., a spokesperson mentioned in an announcement on the Chinese language coast guard’s web site.
Philippine authorities didn’t instantly touch upon the encounter close to the disputed atoll within the Spratly Islands, the place overlapping claims are additionally made by Vietnam and Taiwan.
“The Philippine facet is totally liable for the collision,” spokesman Gan Yu mentioned. “We warn the Philippine facet to right away cease its infringement and provocation, in any other case it would bear all the implications arising from that.”
Gan added China claimed “indeniable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands, identified in Chinese language as Nansha Islands, together with Sabina Shoal and its adjoining waters. The Chinese language title for Sabina Shoal is Xianbin Reef.
In a separate assertion, he mentioned the Philippine ship that was turned away from Sabina Shoal entered waters close to the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, ignoring the Chinese language coast guard’s warnings. “The Chinese language coast guard took management measures in opposition to the Philippine ship in accordance with regulation and regulation,” he added.
Sabina Shoal, which lies about 140 kilometers (87 miles) west of the Philippines’ western island province of Palawan, has change into a brand new flashpoint within the territorial disputes between China and the Philippines.
The Philippine coast guard deployed one among its key patrol ships, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to Sabina in April after Filipino scientists found submerged piles of crushed corals in its shallows which sparked suspicions that China could also be bracing to construct a construction within the atoll. The Chinese language coast guard later deployed a ship to Sabina.
Sabina lies close to the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal, which has been the scene of more and more alarming confrontations between Chinese language and Philippine coast guard ships and accompanying vessels since final 12 months.
China and the Philippines reached an settlement final month to stop additional confrontations when the Philippines transports new batches of sentry forces, together with meals and different provides, to Manila’s territorial outpost within the Second Thomas Shoal, which has been carefully guarded by Chinese language coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships.
The Philippine navy transported meals and personnel to the Second Thomas Shoal per week after the deal was reached and no incident was reported, sparking hope that tensions within the shoal would finally ease.
___
Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines.
