China’s defence ministry on Aug 15 accused vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” after reports of a collision on Aug 11 between two Chinese ships near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.
Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said the actions of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels had “seriously endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel.” He neither confirmed nor denied that a collision had occurred on Aug 11.
“We demand that the Philippine side immediately cease its infringing and provocative rhetoric and actions,” Jiang said, adding that “China reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures.”
Manila, however, denied responsibility for the incident. “It was an unfortunate outcome, but not one caused by our actions,” Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro said in a statement on Aug 15.
Scarborough Shoal sits amid rising tensions in a region that serves as a strategic route for more than US$3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce.
