By Liz Lagniton | 2025-12-23

Philippine fishing boats recently came under water cannon fire from Chinese coast guard vessels in a disputed area of the South China Sea, Philippine authorities said.

The incident occurred on December 12, when Filipino fishermen were operating near Sabina Shoal, also known in the Philippines as Escoda Shoal. The area lies within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to Manila.

Several China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, accompanied by ships identified as part of China's maritime militia, moved in on about 20 fishing boats and attempted to force them to leave the area, Manila said. One CCG ship even passed within about 32 meters of a Philippine patrol vessel during nighttime navigation.

The fishermen were "targeted with water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers," Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela tweeted.

Fishermen injured

Video footage released by Philippine authorities and recorded by the fishing crews shows CCG ships approaching smaller fishing boats and firing high-pressure water cannons at close range. Philippine crew members are shown scrambling across decks amid the blasts.

The Philippine coast guard said smaller Chinese boats cut the fishing vessels' anchor lines, a move that Tarriela called a "brazen escalation" that endangered crews.

"As a direct result of these aggressive actions, three Filipino fishermen sustained physical injuries," Tarriela posted. Water cannon blasts damaged two fishing boats.

Philippine coast guard patrol vessels dispatched to assist the fishermen encountered repeated obstruction while approaching the area. Tarriela said CCG vessels carried out what he described as "unprofessional and unlawful interferences" (sic), but Philippine ships still reached the fishermen and provided medical assistance.

The incident was among the most serious Sino-Philippine confrontations since 2024, when tensions around Sabina Shoal escalated during a months-long standoff between Chinese and Philippine vessels.

The two sides offered sharply different accounts of what had occurred.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun December 15 said that CCG operations near the shoal were "professional and restrained," and that China had safeguarded its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin accused unnamed individuals in the Philippines of spreading "barefaced lies."

Manila condemns actions

Philippine officials rejected the Chinese accusations.

In a December 16 statement, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. denounced what he called "dangerous and inhumane actions" by the Chinese and rejected Beijing's assertion of "indisputable sovereignty" over Sabina Shoal.

No international tribunal or law-abiding state has recognized Chinese sovereignty over the shoal, said Teodoro. He cited the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and a 2016 arbitration ruling rejecting China's claims, a decision Beijing has refused to recognize.

The reported use of water cannons, "aggressive maneuvering," and cutting of anchor lines violated states' obligations to ensure the safety of human life at sea, he said.

The incident was documented by video, vessel logs and coast guard reports, Defense Department spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said, adding that "the facts speak for themselves."

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China on December 15, with Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro confirming that government had submitted a formal demarche to the Chinese embassy in Manila.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered the coast guard to prioritize the safety of Filipino fishermen and backed the acquisition of additional vessels to "safeguard our interests and the interests of our people," presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said.

The Philippine armed forces will continuing protecting the country's sovereignty and fishing crews, naval spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said

In a report published December 20, Kyodo News journalists described witnessing a tense "game of cat-and-mouse" firsthand December 12–14.

While aboard the Philippine coast guard patrol ship Cape Engano, the reporters watched as Chinese vessels shadowed them for over four hours, at one point closing within 300 meters. The ship ultimately retreated after aggressive Chinese maneuvers and radio warnings to turn off course or "suffer the consequences."

A Philippine official later justified the withdrawal by citing the threat of escalation, telling reporters, "It's hard (to move forward) when your ship may get water cannoned."

Global concern grows

Foreign governments swiftly denounced China.

The US State Department condemned China's actions, with spokesman Tommy Pigott saying, "We stand with our Philippine allies as they confront China's provocative actions and increasingly dangerous tactics."

CCG actions at Sabina Shoal "threaten lives and livelihoods," US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson tweeted.

China's Foreign Ministry accused Washington of inciting confrontation and not being party to the dispute. US officials, though, have repeatedly said the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty applies to Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

Canada, Australia and Japan expressed concern, with their envoys calling for restraint and respect for international law, particularly for UNCLOS.

The incident reflected a "deeply alarming" pattern that endangered human lives and regional stability, an independent think tank, the Stratbase Institute, said on December 19. Such behavior "must be ... never normalized."