The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday reported that the China Coast Guard (CCG) dangerously maneuvered and illegally blasted water cannons on its PCG vessels near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, PCG said CCG made the moves while the PCG vessels were en route to Ayungin Shoal to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops who are stationed on BRP Sierra Madre.

“The PCG calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident,” the PH Coast Guard stressed.

It added that the CCG disregarded the PCG crew’s safety, and violated provisions under some international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

The PCG asked the CCG to cease all of its illegal activities within the country’s maritime zones.

Meanwhile, in a press statement, AFP said it strongly condemned the “excessive and offensive actions” conducted by CCG.

“We call on the China Coast Guard and the Central Military Commission to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger peoples' lives,” it said.

Mariing kinondena ng Armed Forces of the Philippines ang panghaharang at pagbomba ng tubig ng Chinese Coast Guard sa resupply mission ng Pilipinas malapit sa Ayungin Shoal kahapon, Sabado, Aug. 5. | via @liezel_once pic.twitter.com/zkOmDlNKBa

— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) August 6, 2023

The maritime incident happened a month after CCG vessels carried out “dangerous maneuvers” that almost led to a collision with two PCG ships near Ayungin Shoal in WPS.