The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard assaulted three Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts Sunday and rammed one of them, causing serious engine damage off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just a day after similar hostilities at another shoal, the Philippine coast guard said.

The latest confrontation happened near Second Thomas Shoal as two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and Philippine coast guard escort ships were en route to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces in a long-marooned navy ship that serves as a territorial outpost, said a coast guard spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

No other details were provided. Drone video footage and photographs issued by the Philippine coast guard show two Chinese coast guard ships separately blasting water cannons at close range at a Philippine coast guard patrol ship, BRP Cabra, and a smaller supply boat.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    423·
    11 months ago

    I realize this is a serious situation, but I can’t help but be amused by the idea of navies essentially shooting each other with squirt guns.

        • Maalus@lemmy.worldEnglish
          71·
          11 months ago

          Because China will yell “ESCALATION!!! SEEE THEY ARE ATTACKING US” and come back with actual warships and bullets next time.

          • avater@lemmy.worldEnglish
            31·
            11 months ago

            and? classic case of fuck around and find out. Maybe it’s time to show dictatorships like china that their actions can have consequences…

            • Wade@lemmy.worldEnglish
              6·
              11 months ago

              The US is already busy supporting two other wars right now. I doubt the Philippines wants to push their luck on how much support we would be willing/able to provide.

              • DoomBot5@lemmy.worldEnglish
                21·
                11 months ago

                Don’t forgot that’s the Atlantic carrier groups supporting those efforts. The Pacific carrier groups are still in that area. The US Navy can posture much better than China can if they wanted to.

    • Furball@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      161·
      11 months ago

      China has a weird thing with fighting over disputes without weapons. In the Himalayas the Chinese and Indians semi-regularly clash with sticks or baseball bats. There are videos and they are amazing.

      • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldEnglish
        15·
        11 months ago

        Pretty sure this is because both sides agreed to not carry firearms in those areas. I’d guess to prevent a full-scale war breaking out

        • Furball@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          3·
          11 months ago

          Yes this is why. They agreed not to use firearms on their border, but still clash anyways, just with different weapons

            • paradiso@lemm.eeEnglish
              21·
              11 months ago

              Anything can be a weapon. Guns happen to make pretty effective weapons, more so than sticks.

              • set_secret@lemmy.worldEnglish
                1·
                11 months ago

                That was my initial point, however many (i’m assuming Americans) are so psychologically broken,they consider anything not a gun to be not a weapon, as the initial comment i responded to implied. the downvotes only serve to confirm this bizzare phenomenon.