A Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel in the South China Sea, using water cannon against it, the Manila Standard reported.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese vessel “intentionally rammed” the Philippine vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya, which was escorting Filipino fishermen, on Oct. 12. The collision caused minor damage to the Philippine vessel and no crew members were injured.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels have repeatedly attempted to push Philippine vessels out of the sea, and there have been numerous reported collisions. The Chinese Coast Guard frequently uses water cannons against Manila vessels near Ayungin and Scarborough Shoals.
For decades, China has been engaged in disputes with countries in the region over the territorial ownership of certain islands in the South China Sea, where significant hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered. These mainly concern the Xisha Islands (Paracel Islands), the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) and the Huanyang Islands (Scarborough Reef). Other parties to these disputes include Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.