The Philippines has accused China of “deliberately” ramming a Philippine government vessel and causing minor damage near an island in a disputed area of the South China Sea .

China, however, blamed the Philippines for the collision on Sunday, claiming the Philippine vessel had “dangerously approached” its ship.

Confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels occur frequently in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims nearly in its entirety.

A United Nations-backed tribunal, however, has ruled China’s claims have no legal basis.

The Philippine coastguard, in a statement, said a Chinese coastguard ship “fired its water cannon” at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel belonging to Manila’s fisheries bureau, at 9:15am (01:15 GMT) on Sunday.

Minutes later, the same vessel “deliberately

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