Philippines says 'Chinese maritime militia' boat sideswiped fisheries vessel

15/10/2024 12:32

        The Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries said a "Chinese maritime militia" boat deliberately sideswiped one of its two vessels that were conducting a routine maritime patrol in the vicinity of Thitu island in the South China Sea last Friday.
        
        The vessel had sustained dents in its starboard bow, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a statement issued late on Monday.
        
        China and the Philippines have been at loggerheads over a succession of confrontations near disputed features in the South China, with Manila accusing China's coast guard of aggression and Beijing furious over what it calls repeated provocations and territorial incursions.
        
        The Philippines has also accused China of maintaining a maritime militia to bolster its presence in the South China Sea. Beijing has maintained they are civilian ships.