Chinese Warship Collides with Its Own Vessel

(MENAFN) A Chinese naval ship collided with one of its own coast guard vessels on Monday as the latter pursued a Philippine boat in the South China Sea, according to Manila authorities.

The incident occurred while Philippine coast guard personnel were distributing aid to fishermen near the contested Scarborough Shoal, said Commodore Jay Tarriela.

During this operation, the Chinese coast guard reportedly "performed a risky manoeuvre," causing "substantial damage" to the front deck of the Chinese warship.

China acknowledged that a confrontation had taken place but accused the Philippines of "forcibly intruding" into Chinese territorial waters.

Notably, the Chinese statement made no reference to the collision itself.

The South China Sea remains a hotspot for territorial disputes involving China, the Philippines, and several other nations.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have worsened significantly in recent years, with both sides blaming each other for provocations and clashes at sea.

Some of these confrontations have involved weapons like swords, spears, and knives.

The Scarborough Shoal—a triangular group of reefs and rocks—has been a particularly contentious site since China took control of it in 2012.

Footage released by Manila depicted a Chinese coast guard vessel using water cannons while chasing the Philippine coast guard ship.

The video also showed the Chinese vessel abruptly turning and forcefully crashing into a larger Chinese ship, producing a loud impact.

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