China accuses Philippine supply ship of hitting Chinese vessel in South China Sea
BEIJING: China and the Philippines traded accusations over a maritime collision in the South China Sea on Monday, the latest in an increasingly testy series of confrontations over the disputed waters. Meanwhile, hours later, the United States said in a statement it had completed joint naval exercises in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with its treaty ally as well as Japan and Canada. China's Coast Guard said a Philippine supply ship "deliberately and dangerously" approached a Chinese ship resulting in a slight collision after it "illegally intruded" into waters near Second Thomas Shoal, a charge that Manila rejected as "deceptive and misleading". Manila declined to comment directly on the incident, but lashed out at Beijing after a Chinese coast guard statement said the Philippine transport and replenishment ship ignored China's repeated solemn warnings.
