China uses water cannons against Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea
The Philippine Coast Guard has accused China of dangerous actions against Philippine fishing vessels in the South China Sea, which resulted in injuries and damage to boats. The incident took place near Sabina Reef, which is known as Escoda in Manila and considered by Beijing as part of its waters called Xianbin. This was reported by The Public with reference to Bloomberg.
According to the Philippine side, Chinese coastguard and maritime police ships used water cannons and performed dangerous blocking manoeuvres against at least 20 fishing boats that Manila claims were legally fishing. Three fishermen sustained open wounds and bruises, and two other vessels sustained significant damage.
The report said Chinese speedboats deliberately cut the anchor cables of several boats, putting the crews in danger in strong currents and waves. To support the fishermen, the Philippines deployed two multifunctional response ships, which also faced aggressive manoeuvres from Chinese vessels. In one episode, a Chinese ship came within less than 35 metres of a Philippine ship.
After the arrival of the aid, the Philippine vessels remained close to the fishing fleet, ensuring its safety, and also provided fuel and food to continue their work.
Beijing said the Philippine vessels allegedly ignored warnings and called the actions of the Chinese coastguard legitimate control measures. China reiterated its intention to continue to defend its claims in the region.
The South China Sea is considered one of the world's key sea routes, with trillions of dollars worth of goods passing through it every year. The region is also rich in oil and gas. Despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that rejected China's large-scale territorial claims, tensions in the area persist and regularly lead to incidents.
