In a troubling escalation of tensions, Chinese coast guard vessels employed powerful water cannons and aggressive blocking tactics against 20 Philippine fishing boats attempting to reach the disputed South China Sea shoal, the Philippine coast guard reported Sunday. The assault left three Filipino fishermen injured and damaged two vessels.

The situation further deteriorated on Friday afternoon when Chinese coast guard personnel cut anchor lines of several Filipino boats near Sabina Shoal, endangering lives amid adverse conditions, according to a coast guard statement. The Chinese embassy in Manila justified these actions as necessary legal measures against what it described as unauthorized Philippine intrusion.

The South China Sea, a major global trade artery, is a region of high strateg

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