The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
The Chinese coast guard assaulted three Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts Sunday and rammed one of them, causing serious engine damage off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just a day after similar hostilities at another shoal, the Philippine coast guard said.
The latest confrontation happened near Second Thomas Shoal as two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and Philippine coast guard escort ships were en route to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces in a long-marooned navy ship that serves as a territorial outpost, said a coast guard spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela.
No other details were provided. Drone video footage and photographs issued by the Philippine coast guard show two Chinese coast guard ships separately blasting water cannons at close range at a Philippine coast guard patrol ship, BRP Cabra, and a smaller supply boat.
It is, those are ‘water cannons’ they’re not squirt guns. Just adding so people understand how high pressure these things can be.
Is there a reason people don’t just shoot one back at them?
Because China will yell “ESCALATION!!! SEEE THEY ARE ATTACKING US” and come back with actual warships and bullets next time.
and? classic case of fuck around and find out. Maybe it’s time to show dictatorships like china that their actions can have consequences…
The US is already busy supporting two other wars right now. I doubt the Philippines wants to push their luck on how much support we would be willing/able to provide.
Don’t forgot that’s the Atlantic carrier groups supporting those efforts. The Pacific carrier groups are still in that area. The US Navy can posture much better than China can if they wanted to.