China fires water cannon at Philippine vessels at Scarborough Shoal for two consecutive days as ASEAN ministers meet in Manila
China's coast guard fired water cannon at Philippine government vessels near Scarborough Shoal on July 23 during a fishermen-resupply mission, then again on July 24, the third South China Sea confrontation in a week; the Philippines Coast Guard accused China of violating maritime safety rules on a humanitarian operation, and a CNN crew was aboard one of the vessels on the second day
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Summary
China's coast guard fired water cannon at Philippines government vessels near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) on July 23 during a mission to resupply Filipino fishermen, then again on July 24, the third South China Sea confrontation that week. Philippines reported no injuries or vessel damage from July 23. A CNN crew was aboard one of the Philippine vessels on July 24. China says it used "control measures"; Manila accuses Beijing of violating maritime collision-prevention rules during a humanitarian operation. China launched military exercises near Hainan Island simultaneously. The back-to-back incidents coincided with ASEAN foreign ministers wrapping up their Manila summit.
Why it matters
Water cannon at Scarborough Shoal open a second active flashpoint alongside the simultaneous Second Thomas Shoal standoff, testing whether Manila's strategy of documenting and publicising each incident can generate international pressure while top-level diplomacy is under way in the Philippine capital.
What to watch
- Whether China continues water-cannon operations at Scarborough Shoal, which sits closer to the Philippine coast than Ayungin Shoal
- Whether the US invokes or strengthens Mutual Defense Treaty language after US Secretary of State Rubio cited US Coast Guard assistance at Ayungin Shoal
- Whether the ASEAN foreign ministers' communique includes specific language on Scarborough Shoal incidents