It said that this incident occurred as its ship escorted boats carrying supplies for Filipino military stationed on a disputed Spratly Island.
The US denounced Beijing’s “dangerous actions” and cited Chinese “maritime militia” as part of its justification for the incident.
Regarding the alleged incident, China has not made any public comments.
The Spratly Islands, which are also partially claimed by the Philippines, are included in Beijing’s almost total claim to the South China Sea.
Additionally, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan have countervailing claims.
The incident took place on Saturday while PCG vessels were traveling to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, according to a statement.
It added that the actions taken by China were “excessive and unlawful” and that they also broke international law.
The US Department of State has stated that “our Philippine allies” have its support.
The government issued a statement stating that “PRC [China’s] ships interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and crew by firing water cannons and employing unsafe blocking manoeuvres.”
China disregarded a decision by an international arbitration tribunal that found the validity of its claim to practically the entire South China Sea.
Given the rising tensions between the US and China in recent years, the South China Sea is currently one of the world’s most volatile regions.
In an era when China’s claims to the self-governing island have grown more assertive, access to these waters is essential for Taiwan’s defense.
Additionally, $4 trillion (£5 trillion) worth of global trade passes through these waterways annually, sparking worries that Beijing’s expanding footprint would stifle trade.
Share your thoughts