Philippine Vessel Damaged After Being Water-Cannoned by Chinese Ships

Chinese coast guard and navy ships allegedly used water cannons against Philippine vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Wednesday, leaving one of them, BRP Datu Pagbuaya, damaged.

The incident occurred during a routine patrol involving Philippine Coast Guard and fisheries vessels aimed at safeguarding Filipino fishermen. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, Chinese vessels approached after dawn and engaged in what they described as “aggressive actions,” including sideswiping and obstructing a Philippine vessel.

The BRP Datu Pagbuaya was reportedly struck by high-pressure water fired from a Chinese coast guard ship, identified by bow number 3302, targeting its navigational antennas approximately 16 nautical miles (30 km) south of Scarborough Shoal. The Philippine Coast Guard stated that the same Chinese vessel later “intentionally sideswiped the BRP Datu Pagbuaya on its starboard side” and launched a second water cannon attack on the ship.

Other Philippine vessels also faced confrontations. The coast guard ship BRP Teresa Magbanua encountered “blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers” from two Chinese navy and coast guard ships. Additionally, the BRP Cabra faced “reckless maneuvers” from a Chinese coast guard vessel at a distance of about 300 yards (274 m), according to Philippine authorities.

In an official statement, China said, “Four Philippine vessels attempted to intrude into Chinese territorial waters off Huangyan Dao on Wednesday, and the China Coast Guard (CCG) acted lawfully to control the situation.” Liu Dejun, a CCG spokesperson, accused the Philippine vessels of approaching Chinese patrol ships in a dangerous manner, asserting that China exercised control in accordance with the law and regulations.

The Scarborough Shoal, referred to as Huangyan Dao by China, has been a focal point of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. These disputes involve overlapping claims by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. While the Philippines calls the area the West Philippine Sea, China asserts sovereignty over most of the waterway, despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling invalidating its claims.