Beijing: Tensions between China and the Philippines escalated again on Tuesday after the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannons at more than ten Philippine vessels near Scarborough Shoal, a contested territory in the South China Sea.

According to Chinese authorities, Philippine Coast Guard vessel 3014 rammed a Chinese ship and ignored repeated warnings, prompting what Beijing described as “lawful control measures.” These included verbal warnings, restricting movement, and the use of water cannons. China maintains that the Philippine vessels had entered its territory illegally.

The Philippines strongly rejected the claims, with its National Maritime Council dismissing China’s version as “disinformation and propaganda.”

Manila reiterated that the Scarborough Shoal lies within its Exclusive Economic Zone and accused Beijing of aggressive actions aimed at consolidating control.

The incident comes days after China formally announced plans to designate Scarborough Shoal, which it calls Huangyan Island, as a national nature reserve. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Manila, which said the plan undermines Philippine sovereignty. The United States has also voiced concern, calling the designation destabilizing and coercive.

This confrontation is the latest in a series of maritime clashes in the South China Sea. Earlier this year, Philippine scientific research vessels were reportedly targeted with water cannons and dangerous maneuvers by Chinese coast guard ships near Sandy Cay. In August, two Chinese vessels collided while pursuing a Philippine ship in the same region, underscoring the risks of escalating tensions.

Scarborough Shoal has been a flashpoint since 2012, when China seized de facto control from the Philippines. The shoal is a strategic fishing ground and sits within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, but Beijing continues to assert sweeping sovereignty claims.

Diplomatic responses to the latest clash are still emerging, with Manila expected to file a formal protest and Washington likely to reaffirm its defense commitments to the Philippines under existing treaties.