Philippines Accuses China of Second Day of Water Cannon Use

Tensions between China and the Philippines continue as Manila's coastguard accused its Chinese counterpart of firing a water cannon at government vessels near a disputed shoal for the second day.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported on Friday that a Chinese vessel at the Scarborough Shoal, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, came within approximately seven meters (23 feet) of a Philippine fisheries boat, creating a "serious risk of collision."

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela condemned the actions of the China Coast Guard, stating that the shoal is a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos, whose rights "cannot be lawfully impeded by any foreign power." The incident involved 12 China Coast Guard vessels and three Chinese maritime militia vessels, with water cannons hitting two Philippine ships and two others having to perform dangerous maneuvers to avoid collisions.

The vessels were delivering fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen and conducting routine patrols at the Scarborough Shoal. The China Coast Guard, earlier on Friday, stated it had imposed "control measures" on several Philippine vessels it claimed were operating illegally in the waters around the shoal.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs later added that the coastguard's actions were "reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach," urging the Philippines to "immediately stop the infringement, provocation and hype."

This incident follows a confrontation on Monday at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, where Manila reported a Filipino sailor was injured by Chinese coastguard personnel.

Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including parts of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. For more details, refer to the Al Jazeera article.