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China once again tried to make a statement in the South China Sea. Two of its Coast Guard vessels turned water cannons on a resupply ship delivering supplies to a small Philippines‘ outpost on Second Thomas Shoal. In this case, the attack did so much damage to the smaller wooden boat that it had to be towed back home.
Video of the incident showed a Philippine civilian vessel taking “heavy damage” from the water cannon, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The AFP also accused the Chinese coast guard of performing a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the resupply vessel before using the water cannon…
A Philippine Coast Guard vessel had been “impeded and encircled” by a Chinese coast guard ship and two Chinese “maritime militia” vessels, the agency said, cutting it off from the resupply boat…
Beijing and Manila have long contested the Second Thomas Shoal, which sits about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the coast of the Philippine island of Palawan. In the 1990s the Philippines grounded an aging World War II-era navy transport ship called the BRP Sierra Madre on the shoal, to help enforce its claim to the area. The ship is now mostly a rusted wreckage and is manned by Philippine marines stationed on rotation.
Here’s video of the incident:
WATCH | At 08:38 AM, the Philippine supply vessel Unaizah May 4 was subjected to direct water cannoning by two CCG vessels near Ayungin Shoal. The UM4 supply boat sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels. pic.twitter.com/r540s80Qd2— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) March 23, 2024
And here is video of the floating barrier installed by China.
WATCH | Unaizah May 4 was severely damaged due to the direct blasting of water cannons by CCG vessels and could not continue its course. Meanwhile, the CMM vessel assisted by RHIBs deployed and installed floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal. pic.twitter.com/p44X500SMd— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) March 23, 2024
The Philippines lodged a complaint over the incident with Beijing.
