Watch vessel rammed and fired at with water cannons by Chinese coast guard

Philippine officials say one of its vessels was damaged after a Chinese coast guard boat rammed and fired a water cannon towards it.

The anchored BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel from the Philippines' fisheries fleet, sustained slight damage near a Filipino-inhabited island called Thitu in the disputed South China Sea.

Video issued by the Philippine coast guard shows a Chinese coast guard ship firing a water cannon, hitting the vessel and its two Philippine flags.

The Filipino-manned ship is seen moving away from the Chinese coast guard ship.

China has not issued a direct response to the incident, but it consistently reiterates its claim of sovereignty and control over virtually the entire South China Sea.