China dismisses Philippine claims vessel accident was ‘hit-and-run’

Beijing has confirmed that its vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision in the disputed South China Sea but dismissed claims the incident was intentional.

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest last week after Filipino fishermen claimed that a Chinese vessel had rammed their anchored boat and then abandoned them as the boat sank in the Reed Bank in the South China Sea. The action sparked outrage from Philippine authorities and media.

In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila acknowledged that the trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212 had accidentally “bumped into” the Philippine boat and then left due to safety fears.

"The Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fisherman, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats," the statement said.

The Chinese Embassy went on to say that the incident was not a "hit-and-run" as some Philippine authorities had claimed, because the vessel "confirmed the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued.”

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on his personal Twitter account Thursday he had “fired off a diplomatic protest yesterday” on the incident, which he claimed was intentional.

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo, denounced the act as “uncivilized, outrageous and barbaric” in what could be the most serious flare-up between Manila and Beijing in three years.

Panelo also called on China to investigate and sanction the trawler’s crew members.

“The captain and the crew of the Chinese vessel should not have left the injured party without any assistance. Such act of desertion is inhuman,” Panelo claimed in a statement, adding the Chinese crew violated international protocols that require them to assist a vessel in distress.

Duterte may decide to minimize ties or even opt for a more severe response if the issue escalates, according to the spokesman.

SS