Philippines claims China fired water cannon at its boats

NEW DELHI: The Philippines has accused China of using water cannons to "obstruct" three of its vessels delivering provisions to Filipino fishermen near a China-controlled reef in the South China sea.
The Philippines called China's actions "illegal and aggressive".
The South China Sea is at the centre of a territorial dispute between China, the Philippines and other countries.

The recent incident occurred near Scarborough Shoal, a contentious area between China and the Philippines. In 2012, Beijing took control of the shoal, and since then, Chinese boats have been reportedly causing problems for Philippine fishermen in the area.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said that "Chinese Coast Guard ships utilised water cannons to obstruct" government vessels from delivering fuel and food supplies to fishing boats.
The National Task Force said it "vehemently condemns the illegal and aggressive actions".
China said that it employed "control measures" on ships it deemed to have intruded into its waters. This comes after the Philippines accused China of "swarming" a reef off its coast, as over 135 military boats were observed in the South China Sea earlier this week.

In response to the tensions, the Philippines plans to send a Christmas convoy of about 40 boats to provide gifts and supplies to people on Thitu island, which is the largest occupied island in the South China Sea.
The disagreement between the two nations over territorial claims has escalated since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed the presidency in the Philippines last year. Last month, the Philippines conducted joint air and sea patrols with both the US and Australia on separate occasions.
In 2016, an international tribunal invalidated China's assertion of 90% control over the South China Sea. However, Beijing rejects this ruling and has been constructing islands in the disputed waters in recent years.
The disputed waters have also become a source of tension in China-US relations, with President Joe Biden asserting in October that the US would defend the Philippines in the event of an attack.