US SLAMS ‘dangerous maneuvers’ by Chinese Coast Guard as water cannon blasts through ship

The US has condemned what it said were “dangerous maneuvers” carried out by the Chinese Coast Guard that led to a collision with a Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in the South China Sea on Tuesday, March 5. In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela said a coast guard vessel sustained “superficial structural damage” to the hull after Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels “harassed, blocked, deployed water cannons, and executed dangerous maneuvers,” against Philippine vessels involved in a resupply mission. At least four personnel were injured, he said, releasing footage of water cannons being deployed, and the moment two ships briefly collided. China’s foreign ministry said the coast guard “took necessary control measures against Philippine ships in accordance with the law, and the on-site operations were professional, restrained, reasonable and legal.” It accused the Philippines of “seriously infringing on China’s territorial sovereig