The Ship Collides, China Accuses The Philippines Of Doing Hazardous Manuver

JAKARTA - China's Ministry of Defense has accused Philippine Coast Guard ships of "dangerous maneuvers" of a collision between two Chinese ships near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

The actions of the Philippine ships are very dangerous for the safety of Chinese ships and personnel, said ministry spokesman Jiang Bin, reported by Reuters, Friday, August 15.

Jiang did not confirm or deny a collision involving two Chinese ships on Monday.

"We demand that the Philippine immediately stop its infringing and provocative rhetoric and actions," Jiang said.

"Anyway, you have the right to take the necessary countermeasures,"

he said.

Scarborough Shoal is the main source of tension in the waters which is a strategic route for ship trade worth more than $3 trillion per year.

Footage from the Philippine Coast Guard showed a Chinese coast guard ship following the PCG before a Chinese naval ship suddenly cut off another Chinese ship line. There was a collision between the two Chinese ships that damaged the bow of the coast guard ship.

This is the first known accident between Chinese ships in the region.

The Philippines on Friday declared not responsible for the collision.

"That is an unfortunate result, but not caused by our actions," Foreign Minister Manila Theresa Lazaro said in a statement.

The Philippine Coast Guard deployed three ships on Monday to deliver supplies to Filipino fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal before the collision occurred.

The confrontation is the latest in a series of incidents amid rising tensions between Manila and Beijing over regional disputes in the South China Sea.

The 2016 international arbitration court ruling overturned Beijing's broad claim in the region, saying the claim had no international legal basis. This was rejected by China.