A Chinese tanker is spilling oil after colliding with a foreign-flagged container vessel off the coast of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The Liaoning provincial maritime rescue centre says the accident occurred on Saturday morning, about five nautical miles from Dalian New Port.

Emergency response teams have been sent to the area, as the clean up process begins.

No casualties were reported and the cause of the accident is being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2005)