Philippines accuses Chinese Coast Guard of firing water cannons on its supply boats

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said no one was hurt during the November 16 incident at the Second Thomas Shoal, but the Philippine boats, which were transporting food supplies to military personnel based there, had to abort their mission.”The acts of the Chinese Coast Guard are illegal,” Locsin said in a statement, reminding China that a public vessel is covered by the China, which claims virtually all the South China Sea, says the reef is part of its territory, but a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found in favor of the Philippines.The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the media.China claims sovereignty over vast swathes of the South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have lodged competing claims for some or all of the islands.