Chinese vessel, Philippine ship collides in South China Sea: Coast guard

A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, China's coast guard said.

The coast guard said a Philippine supply ship entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands that's part of territory claimed by several nations.

The Chinese coast guard said in a statement on the social media platform WeChat the Philippine supply ship ignored China's repeated solemn warnings and dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.

The Philippines is entirely responsible for this, it added.

The Philippines says the shoal, which lies less than 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast, falls within its internationally recognised exclusive economic zone and often cites a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea based on historical grounds.

Several ..