Philippines says 3 fishermen injured by Chinese coast guard’s water cannons off disputed shoal

Chinese Coast Guard Attacks Philippine Fishing Boats in Disputed Waters, Injuring Three

Chinese coast guard ships deployed powerful water cannons and conducted aggressive blocking maneuvers against 20 Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, leaving three Filipino fishermen injured and two vessels damaged, Philippine coast guard officials reported Saturday.

The confrontation, which took place Friday afternoon, escalated when Chinese personnel aboard rubber boats deliberately cut the anchor lines of several Philippine vessels, putting crews in danger amid strong currents and high waves.

“The Chinese coast guard is now targeting ordinary fishermen, ordinary civilians and they are endangering the lives of the Filipino fishermen,” said Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela during an online news briefing.

Philippine coast guard ships dispatched to assist the fishermen faced dangerous blocking tactics, with one Chinese vessel approaching within 35 yards of a Philippine ship during nighttime operations—a maneuver maritime experts consider extremely dangerous and contrary to international navigation protocols.

By Saturday morning, tensions had apparently eased enough for Philippine vessels to reach the fishermen. “Despite these unprofessional and unlawful interferences, the Philippine coast guard successfully reached the fishermen this morning and provided immediate medical attention to the injured along with essential supplies,” the Philippine coast guard said in a statement.

Chinese authorities presented a different version of events. In a statement issued through its Manila embassy, Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun claimed they took “necessary control measures” against Philippine vessels that “deliberately intruded into the waters adjacent to Xianbin Jiao”—the Chinese name for Sabina Shoal—”under the pretext of fishing.”

Liu added that the Chinese coast guard “will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law.”

This incident represents the latest flare-up in the increasingly tense territorial dispute over the South China Sea, a vital global shipping route through which approximately $3 trillion in maritime trade passes annually. China claims virtually the entire sea, despite a landmark 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated Beijing’s expansive territorial claims.

The tribunal ruled that China’s claims had no legal basis under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, China has dismissed this ruling and continues to assert control over disputed areas, building artificial islands, deploying coast guard vessels, and establishing military facilities throughout the region.

The Philippine coast guard urged Chinese authorities “to adhere to internationally recognized standards of conduct, prioritizing the preservation of life at sea over pretensions of law enforcement that jeopardize the lives of innocent fishermen.”

This confrontation comes amid increasing maritime assertiveness from Beijing. Over the past year, Philippine vessels resupplying military personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal have repeatedly been targeted with water cannons and blocking maneuvers, but Friday’s incident marked a significant escalation as it involved civilian fishing vessels rather than government ships.

The United States, though not a claimant in the territorial disputes, has repeatedly stated it is obligated to defend the Philippines—its oldest treaty ally in Asia—under their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if Filipino forces come under armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Several other Southeast Asian nations also have competing claims in the disputed waters, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. Regional analysts warn that these recurring maritime confrontations risk accidental escalation that could draw major powers into conflict.

As regional tensions continue to simmer, fishing communities throughout Southeast Asia find themselves on the dangerous front lines of geopolitical rivalry in one of the world’s most contested waterways.