China and the Philippines blamed each other for a collision between their vessels on Saturday, marking the latest escalation in tensions over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea.

Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in a statement that the Philippine Coast Guard ship, BRP Teresa Magbanua, was “deliberately rammed” three times by the Chinese Coast Guard “despite no provocation.” The statement is accompanied by a video released by the Philippine coast guard, which appears to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard vessel.

Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun stated that the Philippine ship “deliberately collided” with a Chinese coast guard vessel by maneuvering “in an unprofessional and dangerous manner.” China released their own video claiming that the Philippine ship “deliberately rammed” the port side of their ship while showing the bow of their ship on the stern of the Philippine ship.

This marks the second standoff in just a few days near Sabina Shoal, located roughly 140 kilometers (85 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan, within the Philippines’ internationally recognized exclusive economic zone. The Magbanua has been anchored at Sabina since mid-April, amid Manila’s concerns that China might attempt to construct a structure to claim the uninhabited atoll. China shares similar fears and recently raised diplomatic and military protests against the Philippines over the ship’s extended presence at the shoal. However, a month ago, China and the Philippines announced a deal aimed at deescalating clashes in the South China Sea.

Last Monday, the presidential office of the Philippines released a statement saying that China’s “aggressive and dangerous maneuvers” were “aimed at obstructing the BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources] vessel’s humanitarian mission to resupply Filipino fishermen with diesel, food and medical supplies.” Philippine Commodore Tarriela also cautioned the public about recent fake news and misinformation that he blamed on China’s “willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image.”

The US Department of State also condemned Saturday’s incident and “the dangerous and escalatory actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.” It reiterated “its call for the PRC to comport its claims and actions with international law and to desist from dangerous and destabilizing conduct.”

China is building up its military and has grown more assertive in pursuing its territorial claims of nearly the entire South China Sea—a region vital to global trade. This aggressive stance has led to more frequent clashes, especially with the Philippines, and risks drawing in the US, which is obligated by treaty to defend its ally. The longstanding territorial disputes also entangle other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, heightening the stakes in this volatile region. China has consistently dismissed a 2016 ruling by a UN-backed arbitration panel that invalidated nearly all of China’s historically based claims in the South China Sea.