CCG water-cannons Philippine ships near Scarborough Shoal and Iroquois Reef

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels conducted dangerous maneuvers against Philippine ships deploying fishing equipment in disputed areas of the South China Sea this week, with more than 50 Chinese vessels anchoring near Iroquois Reef on Thursday.

On Saturday, the Philippines rebuked China for accusing Manila of violating its so-called sovereignty in the South China Sea, following an incident where CCG water-cannoned two Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ships off Zambales.

The BFAR deployed four ships to supply fuel and goods to Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal on Friday; however, these vessels were water cannoned by Chinese Coast Guard ships 4203 and 3105, raising concerns about the safety of Philippine fishing operations.

Despite the harassment, Manila continues to assert its right to exploit resources within its exclusive economic zone, deploying two PCG ships that successfully set fish aggregating devices despite CCG interference near Iroquois Reef in the Spratly Islands.

The disputed waters are ecologically rich and account for about a third of the Philippines' fish production, making this issue critical for national food security; local fishermen express their commitment to protect their fishing rights while the Philippine government plans marine studies to assess potential environmental harm.