The Philippines and China report a new maritime confrontation near a contested South China Sea shoal

autotldr Bot , 9 months ago

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Click here to see the summaryMANILA (AP) — Chinese and Philippine vessels engaged in a new confrontation in the South China Sea on Friday, with Manila charging that a Chinese coast guard ship and accompanying vessels conducted dangerous maneuvers and blasted a Philippine supply ship with a water cannon in disputed waters. The incident was the latest in a series of maritime confrontations between the two nations over territorial disputes that risk turning into more serious armed engagements. The marines are based on a rusted old warship that the Philippine navy grounded deliberately in 1999 to bolster its territorial claim. China accused the Philippine vessels of trespassing in what it said were Chinese waters “without authorization” despite repeated radio warnings. A Philippine government task force dealing with the South China Sea said Friday that vessels belonging to China’s coast guard and its paramilitary Maritime Militia “recklessly harassed, blocked and executed dangerous maneuvers in another attempt to illegally impede or obstruct a routine resupply and rotation mission.” “China urges the Philippine side to immediately stop making trouble and provocation at sea and to tow away the illegal grounded vessel as soon as possible,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a briefing in Beijing. — Saved 63% of original text.