The Philippines
and China have traded accusations over the collision of their ships near a disputed
shoal in the South China Sea over
claims over a vital waterway, Reuters reports, UNN writes.
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The Philippine Coast Guard
The Philippine Coast Guard has accused China of firing water cannons and ramming ships and
ships, causing "serious engine damage" to one of them.
one of them. The Chinese coast guard said that the Philippine vessel deliberately rammed
its ship.
In return, the Chinese coast guard
Chinese coast guard stated that
two Philippine vessels, ignoring repeated warnings, "illegally entered
waters adjacent to the Renai Reef in the Nansha Islands without the approval of the Chinese
government approval."
Chinese Coast Guard spokesman
Chinese coast guard spokesman Gan Yu called on the Philippines to stop its "provocative
actions", saying that China will continue to carry out "law enforcement activities"
in its waters.
For the record
China
claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which more than
maritime trade of more than 3 trillion US dollars annually, including parts claimed by the
claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2016.
the Permanent Court of Arbitration stated that China's claims had no legal basis.
To recap
The Chinese military said it had expelled
a U.S. warship that allegedly entered their territorial waters in the South China Sea.
waters in the South China Sea, and accused the United States of creating
"a security threat". The US Navy claims that its actions were legal.
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