Philippines accuses China Coast Guard of damaging its ship

The Philippines said on Tuesday that the China Coast Guard fired water cannons at two of its vessels, causing damage to one of them, during a patrol near the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

"This damage serves as evidence of the forceful water pressure used by the China Coast Guard in their harassment of the Philippine vessels," Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said in a statement. "They were not deterred and will persist in carrying out their legitimate operations to support Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety."

The China Coast Guard said the "vessels" had been expelled for waters close to Huangyan Island, which is China's term for the Scarsborough Shoal.  

One of the vessels belonged to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the other was from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

What happened in the South China Sea incident?

The Filipino boats were delivering fuel and food to fishermen plying the waters near the reef.

"During the patrol, the Philippine vessels encountered dangerous maneuvers and obstruction from four China Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese Maritime Militia vessels," the statement from the Philippine Coast Guard said.

A Chinese vessel used its water cannon, "directly hitting the starboard astern of the BFAR vessel," it added.

The Chinese also targeted the Philippine Coast Guard vessel from both sides, "resulting in damage to the railing and canopy."

Who owns Scarborough Shoal?

China took control of the Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012.

Since then, Beijing has deployed its coast guard and other vessels that Manila says harass Philippine ships and prevent its fishermen from accessing a fish-rich lagoon there.

The two Asian nations have accused each other of illegal conduct at the shoal.

Recently, the Philippines summoned a Chinese diplomat to explain what it calls aggressive maneuvers.

China accuses the Philippines of encroaching on its territory.

In 2016, a court ruled that China's historical claims to the area were invalid but Beijing does not recognize the ruling.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Tuesday's incident comes as the Philippines and the United States hold a major annual military drill that has irked China.

dvv/wd (AFP, Reuters, dpa)