MANILA, Dec 4 — The Philippines said the China Coast Guard fired water cannon today on a government vessel during a maritime patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

The Chinese ship "fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, aiming directly at the vessel’s navigational antennas,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the South China Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement, adding it then "intentionally sideswiped” the ship before launching a second water cannon attack. — AFP