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Beijing accused the Philippines today of deliberately wanting to cause an incident in disputed waters in the South China Sea, reported AFP.

In this incident last Monday, two ships - a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and a Philippine patrol vessel - nearly collided.

There were also specially invited journalists on board the Philippine ship, including representatives of world agencies, France Press and Associated Press explained.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning described the actions of the Philippine ship as a provocation and a deliberate search for a collision in order to create a media frenzy.

The Philippine Coast Guard said it had engaged in a confrontation with Chinese vessels that had made "dangerous maneuvers" in the South China Sea, Reuters reported.

This is another example of the strained relations between the two countries on disputed maritime issues, the agency notes.

The incident occurred during a week-long Philippine Coast Guard patrol in the strategic waterway and while Chinese Foreign Minister Qing Gan was visiting Manila last weekend.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars worth of goods pass each year.

The Philippines has repeatedly called on Beijing to stop its "aggressive activities" in the region, BTA writes.

The Philippine Coast Guard said that during a mission from April 18 to 24 within the Philippine economic zone of 200 nautical miles, it identified more than 100 vessels it "believed to be Chinese maritime militia, including one a naval corvette and two Chinese coast guard vessels".

One of the Chinese vessels "carried out dangerous maneuvers" about 45 meters from a Philippine patrol vessel, and two other vessels demonstrated "aggressive tactics," posing a "significant threat to the safety and security of the Philippine vessel and its crew," added the Coast Guard.

In February, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that a Chinese Coast Guard vessel had pointed a "military laser" at one of the Philippine vessels, temporarily blinding its crew so it could conduct a troop supply mission in the disputed waters. Reuters.