Manila plays down sea clashes with China

The Philippines on Friday played down a recent sea clash with Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) in the disputed South China Sea, saying it does not consider Beijing's action an armed attack.

The Philippine National Maritime Council said it does not consider the CCG's actions against Philippine troops in the Ayungin Shoal in the "West Philippine Sea" on Monday an armed attack, adding that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident, ” local broadcaster ABS-CBN News reported.

“No. Well, you know this was probably a misunderstanding or an accident. We're not yet ready to classify this as an armed attack,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who is also the chair of the National Maritime Council, said at a press conference in Manila.

The clarification comes after Philippines's armed forces condemned the "coercive, aggressive, and barbaric actions" of the Chinese Coast Guards, resulting in damage and severe injury to a Navy officer, who lost his right thumb.

Tensions in the South China Sea have heightened in recent months amid frequent encounters between Chinese and Phillipine's vessels.

While Beijing accused Manila of “violating” the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, the latter called China's claims “deceptive and misleading.”

​​​​​​​The two maritime neighbors have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal — also known as the Ayungin Shoal, Bai Co May, and Ren'ai Jiao — a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.