Philippines summons Beijing envoy over South China Sea water cannon attack

Manila says the confrontation near Second Thomas Shoal wounded three of its soldiers and caused severe damage to its vessel.

The Philippines has summoned Beijing’s envoy after accusing the Chinese Coast Guard of wounding three of its soldiers during a water cannon attack in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Monday, said Manila conveyed its “strong protest against the aggressive actions” undertaken by China’s Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militias against the Philippine mission near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

The department said it has also instructed its mission in Beijing to lodge a formal complaint over the incident.

The move comes a day after Philippines’ National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the confrontation wounded three Filipino soldiers caused severe damage to the Unaizah May 4 vessel.

Ano did not reveal the extent and nature of their injuries, though the military said the personnel were treated on board a coastguard escort ship.