Philippines accuses China of firing water cannon at boats in South China Sea

The Philippine Coast Guard has accused its Chinese counterpart of firing h2o cannon astatine its vessels and blocking them successful the disputed South China Sea.

It said this happened erstwhile its vessel was escorting boats carrying supplies for Filipino soldiers stationed connected 1 of the contested Spratly Islands.

The US condemned Beijing's "dangerous actions", besides blaming Chinese "maritime militia" for the incident.

China has not publically commented connected the reported incident.

Beijing claims astir the full South China Sea, including the Spratlys, which is besides claimed successful portion by the Philippines.

There are besides competing claims by Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the incidental happened connected Saturday arsenic its vessels were heading to Second Thomas Shoal successful the Spratly Islands.

It described China's actions arsenic "excessive and unlawful", adding that they besides violated planetary law.

Meanwhile, the US Department of State voiced its enactment for "our Philippine allies".

"Firing h2o cannons and employing unsafe blocking manoeuvres, PRC [China's] ships interfered with the Philippines' lawful workout of precocious seas state of navigation and jeopardised the information of the Philippine vessels and crew," the section said successful a statement.

China ignores an planetary arbitration court's ruling that its assertion to astir the full South China Sea is ill-founded.

In April, a BBC squad aboard a PCG vessel witnessed Chinese harassment astatine archetypal hand.

The South China Sea is present 1 of the world's biggest flashpoints, particularly arsenic US-China tensions person soared successful caller years.

Access to these waters is cardinal to defending Taiwan astatine a clip erstwhile China's claims implicit the self-governed land person intensified.

The waterways besides big $5tn (£4tn) of planetary commercialized each year, raising concerns that Beijing's expanding footprint could restrict commerce.