Chinese coast guard blocks two Philippine supply boats in disputed sea | Business Standard News

 Chinese coast guard ships blocked and used water cannons on two Philippine supply boats heading to a disputed shoal occupied by Filipino marines in the South China Sea, provoking an angry protest to China and a warning from the Philippine government that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States, Manila's top diplomat said Thursday.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said no one was hurt in the incident in the disputed waters on Tuesday, but the two supply ships had to abort their mission to provide food supplies to Filipino forces occupying the Second Thomas Shoal, which lies off western Palawan province in the Philippines' internationally recognised exclusive economic zone.

Locsin said in a tweet that the three Chinese coast guard ships' actions were illegal and he asked them to take heed and back off.