South China Sea: Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannon at resupply boat

The troops depend on the resupply missions for their survival.

China’s coastguard said it “followed the Philippine ships in accordance with the law, took control measures, and made temporary special arrangements for the Philippines to transport food and other necessary daily supplies”.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

Over the past decade or so, Beijing has deployed vessels to patrol the waters and built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its stance.