The Philippine Coast Guard has accused its Chinese counterpart of firing water cannons at its ships and intercepting them in the disputed South China Sea.
He said it happened while his ship was escorting boats carrying supplies for Philippine troops stationed on one of the contested Spratly Islands.
The US condemned Beijing’s “dangerous actions” and also blamed the Chinese “Maritime Militia” for the incident.
China has not publicly commented on the incident.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Spratlys, part of which is also claimed by the Philippines.
There are also competing claims from Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.
In a statement, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the incident occurred on Saturday when its vessels were heading towards the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.
It called China’s actions “excessive and illegal”, adding that they also violated international law.
Meanwhile, the US State Department expressed its support for “our Filipino allies.”
“Firing water cannons and using unsafe blocking maneuvers, PRC [Chinese] ships interfered with the lawful exercise of the Philippines’ freedom of navigation in the high seas and the Filipinos,” the department said in a statement. endangering the safety of ships and crews.”
China ignores a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration that its claim to almost the entire South China Sea is invalid.
In April, JEE News team aboard a PCG ship reported first-hand harassment of the Chinese.
The South China Sea is now one of the world’s biggest flashpoints, especially as tensions between the US and China have escalated in recent years.
Access to these waters is key to Taiwan’s defense at a time when China’s claims to the sovereign island have intensified.
The waterways also host $5tn (£4tn) of global trade each year, raising concerns that Beijing’s growing footprint could restrict trade.
