The Philippines says that China’s coast guard crashed into a Filipino boat that was bringing supplies in the South China Sea.
The Filipino boat was going on Sunday to a Philippine base in the Second Thomas Shoal, where tensions have become worse in the past few weeks.
Manila said that Beijing’s “dangerous blocking moves” put the Filipino crew’s safety at risk.
But China claimed that the Philippines purposely caused problems.
Chinese and Philippine ships often play a game of hide and seek around the shoal. A few Filipino soldiers on the outpost, which is a deteriorating navy ship, need to be given food supplies every month.
However, Filipino authorities say that China has become more forceful since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr came into power in June 2022 and tried to have closer military relations with Washington, which is Beijing’s main competitor for control in the sea rich with resources and importance.
On Sunday, there was another incident near Second Thomas Shoal. Filipino authorities reported that a Chinese militia ship crashed into a Philippine coast guard ship.
Another ship with supplies was able to reach the Philippine outpost in the shoal, according to Manila.
Beijing says that it owns almost all of the South China Sea, including the Spratlys which is the area where the Second Thomas Shoal is found. The sea territory claimed by this country is the same as what other countries, like the Philippines and Vietnam, are also claiming.
In 2016, a court in The Hague said that China’s big claims to the sea were not valid. This happened because Manila took them to court. Beijing has said they do not accept it.