Authorities say water cannons “directly hit the starboard astern of the BFAR vessel,” in the Scarborough Shoal, which China seized in 2012.

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.”

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    37 months ago

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    “They were not deterred and will persist in carrying out their legitimate operations to support Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety.”

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

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

    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.

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

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


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