BEIJING/MANILA, Aug 19 (Bernama-dpa) -- The Philippines and China on Monday accused each other of being responsible for a clashing of vessels in the South China Sea, reported German news agency (dpa).
The Philippines said its coast guard (PCG) had encountered "unlawful and aggressive manoeuvres" from Chinese coast guard vessels, which resulted in damage to two Philippines' vessels.
A hole was torn in one of the PCG vessels, while a second vessel was rammed twice leading to minor structural damage.
"The PCG stands firm in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain while addressing any threats to our national interests," a statement from the National Task Force West Philippine Sea said.
According to the Chinese coast guard, a Philippine coast guard vessel ignored repeated warnings and approached the Chinese ship "dangerously". There was no mention of another collision.
China claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself. Aside from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also claim territories there.
-- BERNAMA-dpa
