{"id":644056,"date":"2019-06-23T08:24:25","date_gmt":"2019-06-23T08:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"
\"Beijing<\/p>\n
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\"Beijing<\/div>\n

Beijing confirmed Saturday that a Chinese vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision which has increased tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but denied claims it was a \u201chit and run\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Chinese trawler sailed away after the incident Sunday near Reed Bank that sank the fishing boat, sparking outrage from Philippine authorities and media.<\/p>\n

While President Rodrigo Duterte has largely set aside the once tense stand-off with China over the resource-rich waterway, many in the Philippines bristle at Beijing\u2019s actions in the sea.<\/p>\n

The Chinese embassy in Manila said the crew of trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212 \u201cbumped into\u201d the Philippine boat and then left due to safety fears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fisherman, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

It went on to say the incident was not a \u201chit-and-run\u201d, as some Philippine authorities had claimed, because the trawler \u201cconfirmed the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, the 22 fishermen told a very different story, saying they had spent hours in the water awaiting help.<\/p>\n

They were eventually picked up by a Vietnamese boat and brought home Friday aboard a Philippine navy vessel.<\/p>\n

The Philippine coast guard has started an investigation of the incident which Duterte\u2019s spokesman branded as \u201coutrageous and barbaric\u201d.<\/p>\n

Opposition lawmaker Francis Pangilinan branded China\u2019s version of events \u201cas fake as its territorial claims,\u201d and called for Philippine leaders to stand up to Beijing.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow is the time to show real grit and toughness,\u201d Pangilinan said. \u201cThere is never a time to be meek and submissive before a foreign power that endangers our own people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duterte has yet to make any public comment but he recently criticised China\u2019s assertive stance over the sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love China\u2026 but it behoves upon us to ask, \u2018Is it right for a country to claim the whole ocean?\u2019\u201d he said in a speech last month.<\/p>\n

Manila\u2019s Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said this week that he had lodged a diplomatic protest with China over the sinking.<\/p>\n

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Thursday called the incident \u201can ordinary maritime traffic accident\u201d.<\/p>\n

Geng said it was irresponsible for the Philippines to \u201cpoliticise the incident without verification\u201d.<\/p>\n

Competing claims over the South China Sea are a point of regional contention because trillions of dollars of goods pass through it, and rich petroleum reserves are thought to sit deep beneath its waters.<\/p>\n

Reed Bank, an area claimed by Manila and Beijing, is within the Philippines\u2019 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and far from China\u2019s nearest major landmass.<\/p>\n

Manila won a key 2016 ruling against China\u2019s claims in the waterway, but Duterte opted to set it aside in exchange for Chinese investments.<\/p>\n

Opposition politicians as well as segments of the public and media charge that Duterte has bartered away Philippine sovereignty with little to show in return.<\/p>\n

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