China has blocked four Philippine vessels that attempted to “intrude into the territorial waters” of the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, the country’s coastguard said.

Chinese incursions at Scarborough Shoal and Pag-Asa Shoal (Thitu Island) in the Philippines expose legal warfare over Philippine claims in the South China Sea.

The China Coast Guard fired water cannons and “sideswiped” a government vessel yesterday during a maritime patrol near Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島), the Philippines said yesterday after Beijing said it had “exercised control” over the ship.