The incident overshadows efforts by both nations to rebuild trust and better manage disputes after months of confrontations, including a violent clash in June, Reuters reported.
In the incident near the Sabina Shoal, the Philippine South China Sea task force claimed Chinese vessels rammed and used water cannons against a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries ship transporting food, fuel, and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen.
For its part, the Chinese coast guard said the Philippine ship "ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed" China's law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision. It added that responsibility for the collision lies entirely on the Philippine side.
The Philippines and China agreed to "restore trust" and "rebuild confidence" to manage maritime disputes in a high-level meeting last month. That was followed by a provisional arrangement about Manila's resupply missions to a beached Filipino naval ship in the South China Sea.
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