The Philippines Lodges Accusations Against China for Firing Water Cannon Towards Its Vessels

The Philippines has accused China of using water cannons to obstruct three of its vessels in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Video footage shows Chinese ships firing powerful blasts of water towards the Philippine government vessels, leading the Philippines to describe China's actions as "illegal and aggressive." The incident occurred near Scarborough Shoal, an area of contention between the two countries. Beijing seized the shoal in 2012 and has since harassed Philippine fishermen there. The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea condemned China's actions and accused its coast guard ships of obstructing government vessels delivering supplies. China, on the other hand, claimed that it used "control measures" on ships intruding into its waters. This latest incident follows the Philippines' accusation of China "swarming" a reef with military boats in the South China Sea. Furthermore, friction between the two countries has increased since the new Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, took office. The Philippines has conducted joint patrols with the US and Australia, and an international tribunal invalidated China's claim to the majority of the South China Sea in 2016. However, Beijing does not recognize this ruling and has been constructing islands in the disputed waters. The contested waters have also become a point of tension in China-US relations, with US President Joe Biden pledging to defend the Philippines in the event of an attack. Other countries, including Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei, also assert claims over parts of the sea.