Jornal Do Brasilia - Chinese, Philippine ships collide near hotspot reef in South China Sea

China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the vital waterway in recent months, including around a warship grounded years ago by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal that hosts a garrison.

Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu said a Philippine vessel had "deliberately collided" with a Chinese ship early Monday.

"Philippine Coast Guard vessels... illegally entered the waters near the Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government," Geng said, using the Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

"The China Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law," Geng added.

Manila's National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, meanwhile, said two of its coast guard ships were damaged in collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting "unlawful and aggressive manoeuvres" near the Sabina Shoal.

The confrontation "resulted in collisions causing structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard vessels", Manila said.

China claims the Sabina Shoal, which is located 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan, the closest major land mass.

Manila and Beijing have stationed coast guard vessels around the shoal in recent months, with the Philippines fearing China is about to build an artificial island there.

- 'Dangerous' -

Footage purporting to show the incident attributed to the Chinese coast guard and shared by state broadcaster CCTV showed one ship, identified as a Philippine vessel by the Beijing side, apparently running into the left side of a Chinese ship before moving on.

Another 15-second clip appears to show the Chinese vessel making contact with the rear of the Philippine ship.

Captions said the Philippine ship made a "sudden change of direction" and caused the crash.

The Chinese coast guard spokesperson accused Philippine vessels of acting "in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a glancing collision".

"We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately cease its infringement and provocations," Geng said.

Manila, however, blamed Beijing, with National Security Council director-general Jonathan Malaya saying the Philippines' BRP Cape Engano sustained a 13-centimetre (five-inch) hole in its right beam after "aggressive manoeuvres" by a China Coast Guard vessel caused a collision.

A second Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Bagacay, was "rammed twice" by a China coast guard vessel about 15 minutes later and suffered "minor structural damage", Malaya said.

The Filipino crew were unhurt and proceeded with their mission to resupply Philippine-garrisoned islands in the Spratly group, he added.

- Repeated clashes -

Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the incident took place at 3:24 am local time (1924 GMT Sunday).

It also said a Philippine coast guard ship had then entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal around 6 am.

The shoal lies about 200 kilometres from Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

The repeated clashes in the South China Sea have sparked concern that Manila's ally the United States could be drawn into a conflict as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims in the sea.

Analysts have said Beijing's aim is to push eastwards from the Second Thomas Shoal towards the neighbouring Sabina Shoal, encroaching on Manila's exclusive economic zone and normalising Chinese control of the area.

The situation has echoes of 2012, when Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal, another strategic area of the South China Sea closest to the Philippines.

M. Silva--JDB