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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| China-Philippines navy spat captured on camera | China-Philippines navy spat captured on camera |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Journalists on board a Philippine ship have witnessed Chinese coast guard vessels trying to block access to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. | |
| One of the Chinese ships radioed to demand the crew turn around, or "take full responsibility" for their actions. | |
| But the Philippine boat, ferrying food to troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal, managed to slip past. | But the Philippine boat, ferrying food to troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal, managed to slip past. |
| The shoal is one of many flashpoints in the area, where several countries have overlapping territorial claims. | The shoal is one of many flashpoints in the area, where several countries have overlapping territorial claims. |
| Multiple claims | |
| China claims a U-shaped swathe of the sea - creating multiple overlaps with areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. | China claims a U-shaped swathe of the sea - creating multiple overlaps with areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. |
| Saturday's incident, which took place at Second Thomas Shoal (known as Ayungin in Manila and Ren'ai Reef in Beijing), is a rare glimpse into the tensions that routinely play out in the disputed waters. | |
| Journalists say they saw two Chinese coast guard ships attempt to block the path of the Philippine boat, sending a radio message, in English, warning that it was entering Chinese territory: "We order you to stop immediately, stop all illegal activities and leave." | |
| But instead of leaving, the Philippine boat managed to manoeuvre away and enter waters that were too shallow for the Chinese ships to follow. | |
| The captain of the Philippine vessel, Ferdinand Gato, later told Reuters news agency that if they had not changed direction, they would have collided with one of the Chinese vessels. | |
| Air-drop | |
| Philippine troops are stationed on a beached, rusting military ship on the shoal that analysts say has become a symbol of the country marking its territory. | Philippine troops are stationed on a beached, rusting military ship on the shoal that analysts say has become a symbol of the country marking its territory. |
| Two weeks ago, Manila made a formal complaint to Beijing after a similar incident when Chinese vessels succeeded in blocking a resupply mission to the shoal. | |
| Philippine planes resorted to air-dropping food and water supplies for the soldiers stationed on board the marooned ship. | |
| The latest confrontation was witnessed by more than a dozen journalists. | The latest confrontation was witnessed by more than a dozen journalists. |
| They had been invited by the Philippine military to board the government vessel to show alleged bullying by Chinese vessels in the area. | They had been invited by the Philippine military to board the government vessel to show alleged bullying by Chinese vessels in the area. |
| The Chinese foreign ministry condemned the Philippines for trying to "hype up" the issue, according to a statement quoted by Xinhua news agency. | The Chinese foreign ministry condemned the Philippines for trying to "hype up" the issue, according to a statement quoted by Xinhua news agency. |
| The ministry accused Manila of trying to "illegally seize" the shoal. | The ministry accused Manila of trying to "illegally seize" the shoal. |
| The incident comes a day before the Philippines is due to file a case against China with the UN tribunal in The Hague, challenging its territorial claim to most of the South China Sea. |