Chinese warship rams its own coast guard during chase

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• A pursuit of a Philippine patrol boat by the Chinese Coast Guard at Scarborough Reef resulted in a collision between a Chinese naval vessel and a coast guard ship.
• Video footage shows extensive damage to both Chinese vessels.
• The incident occurred in a strategically important area claimed by both China and the Philippines.

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On Monday, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel chased a Philippine patrol boat near Scarborough Reef. During the pursuit, a Chinese navy warship and the Chinese coast guard vessel collided. The Philippine government released video footage of the incident.

The Philippine boat is said to have been carrying food for fishermen in the region. It was harassed by a water cannon, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The collision occurred after a risky maneuver. The video footage shows massive damage to the two Chinese ships.

The Chinese coast guard confirmed that there was a confrontation. They had acted in accordance with the rules to drive the Philippine ship away. However, there was no mention of a collision.

Disputed area in the South China Sea

Scarborough Reef lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, but has been controlled by China since 2012. Both countries claim the area, which is disputed due to its rich fishing grounds and strategic location in the South China Sea.

An international arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that China's territorial claims there have no legal basis, but Beijing does not recognize the ruling.

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