The Philippines summoned a Chinese diplomat on Thursday (May 2) to protest Beijing’s use of water cannon against Filipino vessels at a shoal in the South China Sea.

The Philippines lodged its strongest protest yet this year, summoning a senior Chinese diplomat over repeated actions by China’s coast guard and fishing vessels, which the Philippines claims are actually maritime militia.

“The Philippines protested the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous manoeuvres, use of water cannons, and other aggressive actions of China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia,” it said in a statement.

The Philippines has accused China of elevating tensions in the South China Sea after its coast guard used water cannon and damaged two of its vessels while en route to the Scarborough shoal on Tuesday (May 30).

It is worth mentioning that shoal, which has been occupied by China for more than a decade, has been flashpoint between the Philippines and China on and off for years. 

A prime fishing patch used by several countries and close to major shipping lanes, the shoal falls inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and is claimed by China, though no country has sovereignty over it.

China’s embassy in Manila on Wednesday said the atoll had always been China’s territory and urged the Philippines to cease infringements and provocations. China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

(With inputs from agencies)