MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday blamed Chinese ships for making dangerous maneuvers during a nine-day patrol near the coast of the country.
The Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed to patrol the waters around Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the South China Sea in early February, and protect Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety.
The reef has been a flashpoint between the two states after China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
Since then, Beijing has sent patrol boats that Manila says harass Philippine ships and stop Filipino fishermen from reaching the lagoon where fish are more plentiful.
The Philippine Coast Guard in a statement said during the patrol, Chinese Coast Guard vessels performed dangerous maneuvers at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG ship maneuvers twice.
The statement said a Philippine ship was also shadowed by four Chinese Coast Guard ships on more than 40 occasions.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu hit back, said the Philippine ship had illegally intruded into the waters several times.
He said the China Coast Guard, after warnings which proved ineffective, took action in accordance with the law to control the progression of the Philippine ship and forced it to leave.
He added the China Coast Guard tackled the situation professionally and to the international standards.
Videos released by the Philippine Coast Guard show a Chinese Coast Guard ship meters away from the port beam of the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
Scarborough Shoal is 240 kilometers west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and about 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese area of Hainan.
