A Chinese coast guard vessel twice fired a ‘military-grade’ green laser to temporarily blind the crew of a Philippine coast guard vessel in a disputed part of the South China Sea on February 6, according to a report by Australia’s ABC state news outlet, which said the Chinese ship maneuvered to block the BRP Malapascua from approaching the Filipino-occupied Second Thomas Shoal.
The Philippines said the Chinese vessel came to within 140 meters in what it called a “blatant” violation of Manila’s sovereign rights, it said, adding that the Philippines filed nearly 200 diplomatic protests against China’s aggressive actions in the disputed waters last year. China’s foreign ministry later claimed its vessel acted according to law.
Read the full report: ABC News.
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