30 apr 2024 om 07:07
During a patrol, two Philippine Coast Guard ships were hit by a Chinese Coast Guard water cannon. One of the boats is said to have suffered damage. The Chinese coast guard reports that it has “expelled” two ships from the area.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the incident occurred near the Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea. Both China and the Philippines claim that reef as territory. The Philippines reported on Tuesday that China has erected a 380-metre-long floating border. The country thus blocks access to the waters, which have traditionally been a fishing area.
Tensions in the South China Sea have increased over the past year. China is increasingly claiming maritime areas that are also claimed by the Philippines and Japan. In recent weeks, China and the Philippines have clashed several times due to incidents at sea.
China shot several times with water cannons against Philippine ships. Crew members were injured in those confrontations.
China says virtually the entire South China Sea belongs to that country. But the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in 2016 that the Chinese claim was incorrect. China does not care about that statement.
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Tags: China drives Philippine coast guard ships water cannon
