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Sky News witnesses confrontation in disputed South China Sea

30 April 2024, 04:16 | Updated: 30 April 2024, 10:30

Sky News has witnessed a confrontation in the South China Sea as a Chinese coastguard used a water cannon against a vessel our journalists were reporting from.

The incident - which caused damage to a canopy on Philippine Coastguard BRP Bagacay - happened just outside the Scarborough Shoal.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, including the Shoal.

Sky's Asia correspondent Cordelia Lynch was on the BRP Bagacay.

"I'm surrounded by a broken roof because the Chinese coastguard... has been directly firing water cannons at us," she said.

"This has long been a game of brinkmanship between China and the Philippines. They both lay claim to this waterway.

"This is something that could easily take a turn for the worst."

It comes as China's coastguard said it had "expelled" a Philippine coastguard ship and another vessel from waters adjacent to the Scarborough Shoal.

This is the latest incident to happen between the two countries at the disputed atoll.

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The two countries have repeatedly clashed in recent months at the submerged reef, which the Philippines says is in its exclusive economic zone but which China also claims as its own.

Both have also traded accusations over aggressive manoeuvres there and the Philippines recently summoned a Chinese diplomat over the actions.

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Foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said Scarborough Shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island, "is an inherent territory of China".

He accused the Philippines of "infringing and provocative behaviour" and said the ship had intruded without consent, calling it a "serious violation of China's sovereignty".

"China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, which were professional, reasonable and in compliance with regulations," he added.