Philippine officials stated on Wednesday (December 4) that Chinese Coast Guard ships, supported by naval vessels, fired powerful water cannons on a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, obstructing and ramming a Philippine patrol ship. This marks the latest clash in the long-standing South China Sea dispute.
The Philippine Senate issued a statement on Wednesday, “Strongly condemning the recent aggressive actions by the Chinese Coast Guard, our government vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya was attacked with water cannons while conducting routine patrols near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc, known as Huangyan Island in China). This brazen assault flagrantly violates international law and is an insult to Philippine sovereignty.”
The Chinese Coast Guard claimed that four Philippine ships attempted to enter Chinese territorial waters near Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stated that ships from the Chinese Navy and Coast Guard took “aggressive actions” against their routine patrols as well as those of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
A spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard said that a Chinese Coast Guard ship used water cannons to attack and ram a Philippine patrol ship, while Philippine vessels were subjected to “interception, trailing, and dangerous maneuvers” by Chinese Navy and Coast Guard ships.
Over the past year, Manila and Beijing have seen frequent clashes in the South China Sea, with China claiming nearly the entire sea and continually stoking tensions. This has angered neighboring countries, which have disputes over certain borders that they believe encroach upon their exclusive economic zones.