China, Philippine vessels nearly collide in South China Sea

Both nations accuse each other of intrusion and provocation in the contested water.

Two Chinese coast guard vessels blocked Philippine patrol boats in the vicinity of Ayungin shoal on April 23, with one of the ships carrying out "dangerous maneuvers” and came within 50 yards of the Southeast Asian nation’s boat, according to its coast guard on Friday, reports Bloomberg.

Similar moves were documented on April 19 in the same area, the Philippines’ foreign affairs department said, which cited other incidents of "highly dangerous maneuvers” by Chinese ships, the media reported.

China’s maneuvers were "professional and restrained,” China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning was quoted as saying by Bloomberg on Friday at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

"It needs to be stressed that the Philippine vessels intruded into the waters with press staff on board. This makes it clear that it was a premeditated provocation designed to initiate friction, blame it on China and hype up the incident,” Mao said.