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Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea and four Filipino crew members were injured.
This happened in the high-seas confrontations as Southeast Asian leaders gathered for an ASEAN summit where alarm over Beijing’s aggression at sea was expected to be raised.
The Chinese Coast Guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine Coast Guard and supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and executed dangerous manoeuvres that caused two minor collisions between the Chinese ships and two of the Philippine vessels, Philippine officials said.
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean.
It is an important body of water for several reasons, including:
It is a major trade route.
An estimated $3.4 trillion of the world's $16 trillion maritime shipping passed through the South China Sea.
It is believed to be rich in natural resources, including oil and gas.
It is home to a number of disputed islands and reefs.
These factors have led to a number of territorial disputes between China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
The United States has also become involved in the South China Sea dispute, as it has freedom of navigation rights in the region.
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