A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, according to China's coast guard. The incident occurred as the Philippine supply ship entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands that is claimed by multiple nations.
The Chinese coast guard stated on the social media platform WeChat that the Philippine supply ship disregarded repeated warnings and approached a Chinese vessel in an unprofessional manner, leading to the collision. The coast guard placed the blame entirely on the Philippines for the incident.
