China Coast Guard

A Philippine vessel caused a collision with a China Coast Guard (CCG) boat near Xianbin Jiao in China's Nansha Qundao on Friday after ignoring repeated warnings and cutting across its bow, according to CCG's official WeChat account.

The CCG boat Sanzhou'ao was conducting lawful rights protection and law enforcement operations in the area on Friday when Philippine vessel 3015 deliberately changed course and suddenly accelerated to cut diagonally across its bow, resulting in a collision, Jiang Lue, a spokesperson of CCG, said on Friday.

The Philippine vessel's actions seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations and threatened the safety of CCG vessels and personnel, Jiang said. The Chinese boat's operations were professional, standardized, reasonable and lawful, thus the responsibility lay entirely with the Philippine side, he added.

"We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately stop all acts of infringement and provocation, or bear all consequences arising from them," Jiang said.

The CCG will continue conducting rights protection and law enforcement operations in waters under China's jurisdiction to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, he said.

Global Times