The incident happened near the disputed Scarborough Shoal and Beijing said it acted "in accordance with the law".

Chinese coast guard vessels backed by navy ships fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel on Wednesday in renewed aggression at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea,

Chinese coast guard vessels, backed by navy ships, have fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel in renewed aggression in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.