China ‘drives away’ Philippine Coast Guard ships with water cannon | Abroad

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the incident occurred near 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 its waters, which have traditionally been a fishing area.

Tensions in the South China Sea have increased in 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 fired several times at Philippine ships with water cannons. 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 this is incorrect. China does not care about that statement.

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