Chinese military ‘warns off’ US destroyer from vicinity of Scarborough Shoal
03:09
Chinese ships collide during clash with Philippine coastguard in contested South China Sea
The PLA Navy “has tracked, monitored, and warned the vessel to leave”, the Southern Theatre Command said in a statement.
It also criticised the US military for “seriously violating China’s sovereignty and security, undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea, and violating international law and basic norms of international relations”.
The US destroyer entered the disputed waters near Scarborough Shoal, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines or Huangyan Island in China, where the collision on Monday is said to have occurred.
Manila claimed that a Chinese coastguard vessel sustained severe damage to its bow after colliding with a larger PLA ship the Guilin, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, while chasing a Philippine coastguard ship.