Conflict in South China Sea between China, Philippines ahead of ASEAN

Ahead of the ASEAN meeting in Manila, China and the Philippines trade accusations after an encounter between vessels in the contested South China Sea waters.

Philippines military says one of its navy personnel was struck on the head while Beijing offers statement saying Manila provoked the incident.

The Philippines said Chinese Coast Guard personnel aggressively

struck one of its navy staff on the head with a wooden baton during an encounter in the Second Thomas Shoal on Monday in which a navy rubber boat was damaged.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers will gather in Manila for high-level meetings this week, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also in attendance. Tensions in the South China Sea are expected to feature in the discussions.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said a Chinese Coast Guard rigid-hull inflatable boat with eight personnel approached to within close range of its grounded warship on the Second Thomas Shoal and took photos and videos.

When two Philippine navy boats moved to drive the Chinese vessel away, its personnel "reacted violently and aggressively by striking Philippine navy personnel with a wooden baton."

The Philippine military called on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the China Coast guard to “put a stop to their illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions within the West Philippine Sea” and to respect the 2016 Arbitral Award that affirms the Philippines’ lawful maritime rights.

In response, China's Coast Guard accused the Philippine vessels of ignoring repeated warnings, approaching and ramming a Chinese patrol boat in a dangerous manner and said the Philippine personnel were the first to attack, a statement showed.