Manila, Philippines - The Philippines accused China's coastguard of another act of aggression in the South China Sea, this time firing a water cannon and using a "dangerous manoeuvre" against fishermen.
On Thursday, the Philippine's coastguard said a China coastguard ship came within 164 feet of the BRP Datu Dumangsil and fired water cannon at it for around two minutes.
Half an hour later, a second Chinese coastguard vessel crossed only 550 yards from the bow of the Dumangsil's sister vessel Datu Paiburong in what the Philippine statement called a "dangerous manoeuvre."
The incident took place near the disputed Scarborough Shoal mere days after China took aggressive action against Filipino Navy personnel, injuring one sailor.
In response, the US slammed Beijing's "dangerous and aggressive actions" and called out its "troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations."
Thursday's incident also comes as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) annual foreign ministers summit takes place in Manila. The event brings together leaders from the governments of the Philippines, US, and China.
China Coast Guard spokesman Jiang Lue said the Filipino vessels "intruded into the jurisdictional waters of China's Huangyan Island despite… repeated dissuasions and warnings."
"The China coastguard took necessary measures, including tracking, monitoring, blocking, and controlling the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law, and expelled them," he said.