(Bloomberg) — The Philippines said a Chinese maritime militia ship “deliberately made a sideways move” and caused minor damage to a government fishing boat in the South China Sea, amid ongoing tensions between the two nations in the disputed waters.
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The incident occurred Friday while two ships of Manila’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were conducting routine patrols near Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the Spratly Islands, according to an agency statement Tuesday.
“These dangerous maneuvers caused the lateral movement and collision with the BFAR vessel, which suffered minor dents in the starboard bow,” the agency said. The Philippine ship was able to continue its mission in the bays near Thitu despite the movements of the Chinese boat.
Ships from the two countries have clashed repeatedly in the South China Sea as the Philippines pushes back against Beijing’s sweeping claims over the key waterway.
Read: Why China Keeps Ramming Philippine Ships and Where It’s Going
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