China has lodged a formal protest with the Philippines, accusing it of initiating an attack on its coastguards following the latest clash between the two sides in the South China Sea. Monday’s clash near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal involved a Chinese coastguard vessel and two Philippine Navy rubber dinghies. The China Coast Guard said the Philippines had “illegally” launched the dinghies from the BRP Sierra Madre – an old warship that was intentionally grounded on the shoal in 1999 – then...
A member of China’s coast guard is accused of injuring a Philippine sailor after striking him with a wooden baton.
Beijing and Manila have exchanged fresh accusations over a clash in the South China Sea, just as China’s top diplomat is due to attend the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting in the Philippines. On social media late on Monday, the China Coast Guard said that at around 9am that morning as a small Chinese coastguard vessel was patrolling near Second Thomas Shoal, two rubber dinghies were launched “illegally” from the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre, a vessel grounded on the shoal by Manila about...