China: Philippines rammed Chinese boats and attacked personnel in second Thomas Reef conflict

“The Philippine ships secretly transported construction materials and even weapons and equipment and deliberately rammed Chinese ships,” Lin said.

He said Philippine personnel “also splashed water and threw objects at Chinese security forces” and that these acts “significantly escalated tensions at sea and seriously endangered the safety of Chinese personnel and vessels.”

02:34

First incident between Chinese and Filipino ships under Beijing’s new coast guard law

First incident between Chinese and Filipino ships under Beijing’s new coast guard law

Lin’s comments followed the release of footage on Wednesday that Manila said showed Chinese personnel using tear gas, damaging their equipment and waving weapons.

The Philippine military called the incident “a brazen act of aggression” and accused the Chinese coast guard of using “physical attacks, bladed weapons, blaring sirens and blinding flashes of light.”

She accused the Chinese side of “deliberate ramming at high speed” and said eight Filipino sailors were injured in the clash, one of whom lost a thumb.

According to the Philippine Armed Forces, the Chinese Coast Guard members were filmed “brandishing an assortment of bladed and pointed weapons and threatening to injure (Philippine) troops.”

It further said that the Chinese coast guard’s “coercive, aggressive and barbaric actions” had caused serious damage to Philippine vessels, including communications and navigation equipment.

Philippine Navy spokesman Roy Trinidad said on Thursday that the Chinese personnel behaved like a “band of barbarians,” according to a Reuters report.

“We were not prepared for this type of response,” Trinidad said. “We followed the rules of engagement. They were not allowed to use weapons except in self-defense.”

He said China’s “illegal, aggressive and deceitful” actions increased the risk of miscalculations at sea.

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Philippine admiral at the centre of the ‘New Deal’ saga breaks his silence on alleged agreement in the South China Sea

Philippine admiral at the centre of the ‘New Deal’ saga breaks his silence on alleged agreement in the South China Sea

But Lin said the statements made by the Philippine side had “completely distorted the facts” and were an attempt to “shift the blame.”

“The Philippine side illegally entered the waters of Renai Jiao without China’s permission,” he said, referring to the Chinese name of the shoal, known in the Philippines as Ayungin Shoal.

“The Chinese side has taken the necessary measures to protect its sovereignty in accordance with the law. These were legal and justified and were carried out in a professional and restrained manner.

“We call on the Philippine side to immediately stop the attacks and provocations at sea, otherwise they will have to face the consequences.”