China deploys water cannon in Spratlys clash with Philippines over Sandy Cay

Tensions between Beijing and Manila in the disputed South China Sea have intensified after another confrontation near Sandy Cay, this time involving the use of water cannon and a collision.

The Chinese coastguard said on Thursday that it had implemented the water cannon a day earlier as a control measure, against two Philippine vessels which it said had illegally intruded into waters near Subi Reef and Sandy Cay in the Spratly Islands.

According to the coastguard statement, the Philippine vessels landed personnel on Sandy Cay and, ignoring repeated warnings, “dangerously” approached a Chinese ship as it was carrying out regular law enforcement operations, resulting in the collision.

Spokesperson Liu Dejun said in the statement that Chinese coastguard personnel lawfully implemented control measures on the Philippine vessels and went ashore to investigate and handle the situation. Their operations on site were professional, standardised, reasonable, and legal, Liu added.

Sandy Cay is an unoccupied group of multiple sandbars known as Tiexian Jiao in China, and Pulo ng Bailan in the Philippines, with the official name of Pagasa Cay 2.

It is the closest reef to Subi Reef, known in China as Zhubi Jiao, and its second-largest artificial island and military base in the South China Sea. It is also only a few kilometres from Thitu Island, the largest base the Philippines currently holds.

“We urge the Philippine side to immediately cease its infringing actions. The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law,” Liu said.

South China Morning Post