China, Philippines row over collisions in disputed sea

MANILA: Beijing and Manila traded blame on Sunday for two collisions between Chinese vessels and Philippine boats on a resupply mission to Filipino troops near Second Thomas Shoal in the

Spratly Islands

in the disputed

South China Sea

.
A Philippine government task force said the "dangerous blocking manoeuvers of

China Coast Guard

vessel 5203 caused it to collide with the

Armed Forces of the

Philippines-contracted indigenous resupply boat". China, meanwhile, said the "slight collision" happened after the resupply boat ignored "multiple warnings and deliberately passed through law enforcement in an unprofessional and dangerous manner".
In another incident, the Philippines said it coastguard vessel escorting the routine resupply mission was "bumped" by a "

Chinese Maritime Militia

vessel". China accused the Philippine boat of reversing in a "premeditated manner" into a Chinese fishing vessel.