Beijing has come under fire from Tokyo and Washington after a China Coast Guard vessel repeatedly struck a Japanese-made Philippine Coast Guard ship over the weekend in a flash point area of the disputed South China Sea.
The clash Saturday — the fifth such incident in August between China and the Philippines — occurred at the Sabina Shoal, located around 110 nautical miles (204 kilometers) from the Philippine coast, well within Manila’s exclusive economic zone. The shoal is claimed by both Beijing and Manila despite Hainan Island — the nearest Chinese landmass — being around 1,200 km away.
The Philippines has kept the 97-meter BRP Teresa Magbanua patrol vessel in the area since April 15. The construction of the ship, a Japan-made vessel, was partially funded by an official development assistance loan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.