The Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of firing a water cannon and sideswiping a government ship on Dec. 4, during a routine patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

China has blocked four Philippine vessels that attempted to “intrude into the territorial waters” of the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, the country’s coastguard said.

The China Coast Guard fired water cannons and “sideswiped” a government vessel yesterday during a maritime patrol near Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島), the Philippines said yesterday after Beijing said it had “exercised control” over the ship.