China and the Philippines trade lawsuits after a seafaring accident | Border Conflict Issues

A dispute has erupted in the South China Sea following an incident near Second Thomas Shoal involving Chinese and Philippine ships.

China and the Philippines are at loggerheads over who is responsible for the collision between their ships in the South China Sea.

The incident took place on Monday near Second Thomas Shoal, home to the Philippine warship, BRP Sierra Madre, which Manila uses as a military vessel.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea and has ordered the evacuation of the area, even though it is in the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile (370km) exclusive economic zone and about 1,000 km (808 miles) from China.

The Philippine military says a Chinese coast guard boat approached the security post and harassed them, injuring one of its crewmen with a blow to the head with a wooden stick.

China’s coast guard denied the story, saying two Philippine boats ignored warnings and collided with one of their ships.

The move came as foreign ministers from Southeast Asia, among them China’s Wang Yi, gathered in Manila for what is expected to be an escalating round of talks.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which China has ratified, Second Thomas Shoal is within the economic zone of the Philippines.

Manila has long urged Beijing to respect a 2016 international court ruling upholding its maritime rights. China did not participate in the court’s proceedings.

The United States Department of State has criticized China’s “horrific and brutal” treatment of Philippine soldiers.

“China’s aggressive behavior against legitimate maritime routes in the Philippines undermines peace and stability in the region and is in direct conflict with China’s repeated efforts to resolve disputes peacefully,” the Department of State said.