China\u2019s foreign ministry on Monday said a US statement in which Washington sided with the Philippines regarding a collision between vessels in the South China Sea \u201cdisregarded the facts\u201d. China and the Philippines traded accusations on Sunday over the collision in disputed waters of the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels blocked Philippine boats supplying forces there in the latest of a series of maritime confrontations. In a statement on Sunday, the US State Department said China\u2019s coast guard had \u201cviolated international law by intentionally interfering with the Philippine vessels\u2019 exercise of high seas freedom of navigation\u201d. On Monday, China\u2019s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters that the United States \u201cissued a statement in violation of international law, groundlessly attacking and accusing China\u2019s legitimate rights and law enforcement actions\u201d. Mao said the area of the Second Thomas Shoal has always been China\u2019s territory. \u201cRenai Reef is an inseparable part of China\u2019s Nansha Islands geographically, economically, politically and historically,\u201d Mao said, referring to the names of the Second Thomas Shoal and the Spratly Islands by their Chinese names. Maritime confrontations between Manila and Beijing have become a regular feature in the South China Sea, as both countries assert their territorial claims in the highly strategic waters. Manila summoned Beijing\u2019s ambassador and China lodged a complaint on Monday in a growing spat over two collisions between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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