Beijing

Beijing warned the Philippines on Tuesday (Apr 30) to stop provocative actions after Manila said the Chinese coast guard used water cannon on two of its vessels in the South China Sea.

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Manila said that the China Coast Guard fired a water cannon at two of its vessels, damaging one of them, during a patrol near a reef off the Southeast Asian country.

The incident was reported near Scarborough Shoal, a contested feature in the South China Sea.

The Philippines considers it within its exclusive economic zone, an area where it has special rights regarding resources. However, China also claims the shoal to be its part.

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Also read: South China Sea: Philippines slams China for 'stirring up trouble'

"This damage serves as evidence of the forceful water pressure used by the China Coast Guard in their harassment of the Philippine vessels," a statement issued by the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The Philippine statement further alleges that the Chinese Coast Guard re-established a 380-metre barrier at the entrance to the shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen, effectively blocking access to the waters within.

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China and the Philippines in the past had said they would seek better communications and management around skirmishes in the vast South China Sea, but tensions have increased recently.

Also read: UK slams China over incidents in South China Sea against Philippines

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China's claims had no legal basis.

(With inputs from agencies)