In a dramatic turn of events on Sunday morning, tensions flared near Tiexian Jiao in the Nansha Islands when two Philippine government vessels sailed into what the Chinese mainland calls its territorial waters. According to Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun, the shipsidentified as vessels 3002 and 3003allegedly ignored stern warnings and got too close to the CCG ship 21559, resulting in a collision 😱.
At 9:19 a.m., vessel 3003 reportedly brushed against the CCG ship despite multiple warnings. Liu Dejun pointed the finger squarely at the Philippine side, saying, “The responsibility (for the incident) lies entirely with the Philippine side.” He added that the Chinese Coast Guard’s response was “professional, standardized and lawful.”
Beijing reaffirmed its claim over the Nansha Islands archipelago and surrounding waters, stressing that the incident violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and threatened regional peace. Liu urged the Philippines to stop its “infringements and provocations” and warned that the Chinese Coast Guard will continue patrols and law enforcement in these waters 🌊.
While Manila’s reaction is pending, this latest clash underscores the long-running maritime dispute in the South China Sea, where overlapping claims continue to fuel diplomatic friction. Stay tuned for updates as the story unfolds! 👀
Reference(s):
China: Philippines responsible for ship collision near Nansha Islands
cgtn.com
