The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Monday stated that the Philippine side has distorted facts and falsely accused China after Philippine personnel maliciously attacked Chinese law enforcement personnel in waters near Ren'ai Jiao.

According to a CCG statement, the incident occurred at around 9 a.m. on Monday, when a small CCG patrol boat was conducting a routine patrol in waters near China's Ren'ai Jiao. A Philippine vessel illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao released two rubber boats, which approached the Chinese vessel at high speed in a dangerous manner.

The statement pointed out that, ignoring multiple clear warnings from the Chinese side, the Philippine rubber boats approached the Chinese patrol vessel in a dangerous manner and went on to encircle and ram it. During the incident, Philippine personnel were the first to maliciously attack Chinese law enforcement personnel with paddles, long poles and other tools.

The Chinese side took measures to stabilize the situation on site in accordance with the law and regulations, including issuing verbal warnings, maneuvering to avoid the collision and taking reciprocal countermeasures, while exercising maximum rationality and restraint, the statement read.

The CCG stressed that the Philippine side's attempt to falsely accuse China completely reverses right and wrong, urging the Philippines to immediately cease its infringement, provocation and false publicity.

The CCG will continue to carry out rights-protection and law enforcement activities in accordance with the law in China's Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), including Ren'ai Jiao, and their adjacent waters, and resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the statement added.