The Philippines said on Sunday that a Chinese ship had collided with a fishing boat north of the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, killing a fisherman and leaving four missing. Civil defence chief Benito Ramos said fishermen rescued from the scene of the accident, off the north-western province of Ilocos Sur, believed the ship was Chinese. The Chinese embassy said "such media reports remain to be verified," adding, "We hope relevant persons can verify the facts with a responsible attitude before they report. " China and the Philippines have been locked in a two-month standoff over the disputed shoal, which is 230 kilometres west of the Philippines' northern province of Zambales and 870 kilometres from the nearest coast of China in Hainan province.
