Manila, Aug 31 The Philippines has expressed "serious concerns" over a Chinese Coast Guard vessel "deliberately" ramming and colliding with the BRP Teresa Magbanua - the Philippine Coast Guard's largest and most modern vessel - deployed to Escoda Shoal in the South China Sea on Saturday.
"Well, the position of the government, especially the National Maritime Council, we take this with serious concern," Alexander Lopez, spokesperson for the Philippines' National Maritime Council (NMC), said during a media briefing.
State-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5205 on Saturday repeatedly rammed into BRP-Teresa Magbanua, the biggest ship of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed in April to Escoda Shoal, which is about 75 nautical miles from Palawan.
It mentioned that due to the collision, BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained damage in its bridge wing and freeboard though no injuries to the crew were reported and the ship remained anchored inside the Sabina Shoal.
PNA quoted Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard's spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, as saying that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out "dangerous manoeuver resulting to its direct ramming" into the port bow of BRP Teresa Magbanua.
"The Chinese ship turned around, then rammed the PCG vessel anew, hitting the starboard quarter. After this, it went around and then did another ramming to the PCG vessel. On the port beam of MRRV-9701, the CCG vessel 5205 once again directly and intentionally rammed the PCG vessel," said Tarriela.
The PCG spokesperson also presented a drone shot before the media, showing that BRP Teresa Magbanua was originally surrounded by People's Liberation Army Navy tugboats, vessels and "Chinese maritime militias".
The latest incident has drawn sharp criticism from various countries.
"The US condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC, including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the Philippine EEZ. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law," US Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson posted on X.
Meanwhile, Beijing also accused the Philippine coast guard vessel "illegally anchoring in Xianbin Jiao" of "intentionally" ramming the "Chinese law-enforcement ship".
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson of the China Coast Guard, said the "unprofessional and dangerous manoeuvre resulted in scrapes, with all responsibility lying with the Philippine side", Xinhua news agency reported.
China said that it had warned the Philippine side to "face up to reality and abandon illusions", stating that immediate withdrawal from the area is "the only correct course of action".
--IANS
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