Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has stated that the recent collision in the South China Sea involving a Philippine fishing boat and a Chinese vessel is not a sufficient reason to invoke the defense treaty with the United States.
The incident occurred near Reed Bank, an area claimed by both the Philippines and China. The Philippine fishing boat sank after colliding with the Chinese vessel, leaving 22 Filipino fishermen in distress. Fortunately, they were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat in the vicinity.
