China Cries “Ramming” After Water Cannon Barrage in South China Sea

After unleashing a water cannon barrage on a Philippine fleet, China is now crying “ramming” following a collision in the South China Sea on Tuesday. The incident at the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal marks a significant escalation, with Beijing attempting to paint the Philippines as the aggressor.
The dramatic events involved more than ten Philippine government ships. According to the Chinese account, its Coast Guard vessels moved to intercept and repel the flotilla, leading to the use of water cannons. Following the collision, China released a statement placing the blame squarely on the Philippines for its “provocative” actions.
This incident follows China’s controversial declaration of the shoal as a national nature reserve just six days earlier, a move widely seen as a sovereignty play. The Philippines, which calls the area Bajo de Masinloc, was already preparing a formal diplomatic protest against the declaration.
The South China Sea is a critical maritime domain where China’s sweeping territorial claims clash with those of its neighbors. The Scarborough Shoal is a key point of contention, with control over it impacting fishing rights and strategic positioning in one of the world’s most important commercial waterways.
The international community has begun to rally behind the Philippines. A prominent US senator condemned China’s recent moves as a form of coercion. The UK and Australia have also expressed their concerns publicly. In a pointed critique of Beijing’s strategy, Canadian diplomats in Manila stated their opposition to the use of environmentalism as a tool for territorial control.