Representational image of a fisherman flying the Philippine flag on his boat in the South China Sea | Photo credit: | Photo credit: AP
China’s coast guard said it rescued Filipino “personnel” who fell overboard on Sunday (August 25, 2024). Philippine ship collides with one of its ships Near a disputed shallow water in the South China Sea.
There have been repeated clashes between the two countries in the maritime sphere in recent months, and a clash also took place on Saturday (August 24). Manila accuses China of firing flares twice recently This attack was carried out on one of its patrol planes.
China coast guard spokesman Gan Yu said Sunday’s collision occurred when a Philippine vessel refused to comply with “control measures” near Jianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands — using the Chinese names for Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands, which Manila also claims.
The plane then “intentionally” collided with a Chinese coast guard ship, CCTV quoted Gan as saying. He added that China “immediately rescued the Philippine personnel who fell into the water.”
It was unclear whether “personnel” meant one or more people, and no details were provided.
“China warns the Philippines to immediately cease its violating activities, otherwise the Philippines will have to bear all the consequences of this situation,” Mr Gan warned.
On Saturday, the Philippines accused China of firing flares at one of its aircraft during a patrol in the South China Sea earlier this month.
On Monday, the two countries also reported a collision between their coast guard ships near the disputed Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometres from the nearest Chinese landmass, Hainan Island.
Manila said it was Beijing’s first hostile action against it near Sabina, where both sides have deployed coast guard ships in recent months and where the Philippines fears China is planning to build an artificial island.
China claims almost the entire sea and has ignored an international tribunal’s ruling that its claims have no legal basis.
It has deployed boats to patrol the busy waterway and also built artificial islands, which it has militarized to assert its claims.