China fires water cannon at Philippine ships in South China Sea

16/9/2025 13:55

China's Coast Guard fired water cannon on Tuesday at Philippine ships near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, accusing Manila of an "illegal" intrusion and the ramming of one of its vessels.



The confrontation comes a week after China approved plans to turn the shoal into a national nature reserve, a move that defence analysts have warned would test Manila's response over the 58-sq-mile (150-sq-km) triangular chain of reefs and rocks.



Simmering tension over the shoal has led to diplomatic rows in recent years, but no incidents have escalated into armed conflict at the site.



Both sides accuse each other of provocations and trespassing in incidents featuring use of water cannon, boat-ramming and manoeuvres by China's Coast Guard the Philippines regards as dangerously close, as well as jets shadowing Philippine aircraft there.



Tuesday's encounter involved more than 10 Philippine ships, said Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China's Coast Guard, accusing the vessels of having "illegally invaded China's territorial waters of the Scarborough Shoal from different directions".



In particular, he faulted Philippine Coast Guard vessel 3014, saying in a statement it had "disregarded solemn warnings from the Chinese side and deliberately rammed a Chinese coast guard vessel".