Chinese coastguard uses water cannon, blocks Philippine vessels near Scarborough Shoal
Four coastguard vessels from Philippines ‘came dangerously close’ to law enforcement vessels, China says
“On December 4, four Philippine Coast Guard vessels attempted to intrude into the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Island and came dangerously close to the normal law enforcement and inspection vessels of China’s coastguard,” the China Coast Guard said.
“The Chinese side exercises control over the vessels in accordance with the law,” the agency said, adding that the four vessels were numbered 9701, 4409, 3002 and 3003.
China calls the shoal Huangyan Island. The Philippines calls it Panatag Shoal.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), its vessels conducted “a routine maritime patrol” under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, to support Filipino fishermen in the area, and encountered “aggressive actions” from several Chinese coastguard vessels and two ships from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
One Chinese coastguard vessel fired a water cannon twice at a Philippine vessel and sideswiped it, the PCG said.
