(Adnkronos) – In the South China Sea there would have been a collision between a unit of the Chinese Navy and one of the Chinese Coast Guard. The Philippines reported the incident, according to which the boats were chasing a Manila Coast Guard ship that was escorting other boats engaged in a “mission to assist Filipino fishermen”. Everything, reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer, took place near the disputed area that the Philippines call ‘Panatag’ and the Chinese ‘Huangyan’ (Scarborough Shoal, claimed by the Philippines from which it was taken in 2012).
According to Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the Manila Coast Guard, the Chinese Coast Guard unit was traveling “at high speed” and was damaged in the collision “with the warship of the People’s Liberation Army Navy”.
Beijing’s version is different. The Coast Guard, reports the Global Times, “took all necessary measures” to move Philippine naval units away from the waters around the disputed area. According to the Asian giant’s version, the Philippine vessels – in the area “under the pretext of providing aid to fishing vessels” – “ignored warnings” and were “forced to move away” with a “professional” and “legitimate” operation.
