China says it ‘repulsed’ Philippine boats sailing near disputed reef

The incident took place on Tuesday near the atoll-shaped reef called Scarborough, which China took control of in 2012.

New skirmish between China and the Philippines. The Chinese coast guard declared on Tuesday April 30 that they had “rejected” two Philippine ships from their waters in the South China Sea. Manila at the same time accuses Beijing of having fired water cannons at these boats.

“On April 30, the Chinese Coast Guard lawfully repelled Philippine Coast Guard Ship 4410 and Philippine Government Ship 3004, which had intruded into the waters adjacent to Huangyan Island.”the Chinese coast guard wrote in a statement, using the Chinese name for Scarborough Reef.

It was near this atoll-shaped reef, which China took control of in 2012, that the skirmish between the Chinese coast guard and the Philippine ships took place – one of the coast guard and the other from the fisheries office – who came to supply fuel and food to fishermen working in the sector.

Philippines condemns China’s ‘harassment’

“Despite harassment and provocations from the Chinese coast guard, the ships (…) held firm and continued their maritime patrol”, specifies the Philippine press release. The coast guard boat was targeted on both sides by the jets of water, which damaged its railing and canopy. This damage “is evidence of the high water pressure used by the Chinese coast guard in their harassment of Philippine vessels,” the statement said.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including waters and islands near the coasts of several neighboring countries, despite an international court ruling in 2016. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim several reefs and islets in this sea, some areas of which could contain rich oil reserves.