Beijing Defends Its ‘Professional, Restrained’ Moves Driving Away Philippine Boats in South China Sea

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A spokesman for the China Coast Guard accused two Philippine replenishment vessels and two Philippine Coast Guard vessels of illegally entering the waters near the Ren’ai Jiao reef in South China Sea on Saturday without the Chinese government’s approval. Photo: China Coast Guard’s Weibo account

The foreign ministry has defended the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) use of water cannons to drive away Philippine vessels trying to deliver supplies to a grounded Philippine warship at Ren’ai Jiao, a reef in the South China Sea.

The incident occurred after the CCG blocked the path of two supply boats from the Philippines on Saturday. The CCG’s maneuvers were “professional, restrained and beyond reproach,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a Tuesday statement responding to criticism from Manila.