Beijing accuses Vietnam of ramming vessels over 1,500 times

BEIJING: China on Friday said that Vietnamese ships have rammed its vessels more than 1,500 times since early last month, as the two countries increasingly trade accusations over a South China Sea territorial dispute.

At a special briefing with reporters Friday, Chinese foreign ministry official Yi Xianliang accused Vietnamese vessels of ramming Chinese ships near an oil rig in contested waters a total of 1,547 times since May 2.