China says US statement on collision with Philippine boat disregards facts

China’s foreign ministry on Monday said a U.S. statement in which Washington sided with the Philippines regarding a collision between vessels in the South China Sea “disregarded the facts”.
China and the Philippines traded accusations on Sunday over the collision in disputed waters of the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels blocked Philippine boats supplying forces there in the latest of a series of maritime confrontations.
In a statement on Sunday, the U.S. State Department said China’s coast guard had “violated international law by intentionally interfering with the Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation”.
On Monday, China foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters that the United States “issued a statement in violation of international law, groundlessly attacking and accusing China’s legitimate rights and law enforcement actions”.
Mao said the area of the Second Thomas Shoal has always been China’s territory.