China accuses Philippines of hitting its vessel

BEIJING: China and the Philippines accused each other on Saturday of deliberately ramming their coast guard ships near a flashpoint shoal in the South China Sea, the latest in a spate of similar incidents in recent weeks.

A Chinese coast guard spokesperson said the Saturday incident took place off the disputed Sabina Shoal, which has emerged as a new hotspot in the long-running maritime confrontations between Manila and Beijing.

Shortly after noon, a Philippine ship “deliberately collided with” a Chinese vessel near the shoal...