Beijing, China — The sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a suspected Chinese trawler in disputed waters was described by Beijing Thursday as an ordinary maritime accident after Manila accused the alleged Chinese crew of cowardice for fleeing the scene. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Thursday called the incident "an ordinary maritime traffic accident," and said China was still investigating. READ: Filipino fishermen asleep when Chinese boat hit them at midnightGeng said it was irresponsible for the Philipines to "politicize the incident without verification." Although Duterte has largely set aside the bitter dispute with Beijing over the resource-rich South China Sea, Manila does sometimes protest against Chinese action. Like the Philippines, Vietnam has partial claims over the South China Sea, where Beijing has staked "indisputable sovereignty" and built artificial islands with military facilities and airstrips.

Source: Philippine Star June 14, 2019 00:11 UTC