China accuses Philippine ships of violating sovereignty after Spratly Islands collision

China has accused two Philippine ships of violating its sovereignty last week after a collision with a Chinese vessel in disputed waters.

Earlier the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) had accused the Chinese ship, which it said was part of a “maritime militia”, of “conducting dangerous manoeuvres and trying to block the path” of one of its patrol boats near the disputed Thitu island.

In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said two “official vessels” from the Philippines had been involved in the incident in the South China Sea and said the Chinese ship involved was a fishing boat whose crew had been put in danger.