US condemns dangerous maneuvers by China in South China Sea

manila - The United States has accused China of engaging in 'dangerous maneuvers' in the South China Sea, following an incident involving Chinese and Filipino vessels.

According to the Chinese coast guard, four Filipino boats attempted to enter Chinese territorial waters and endangered a Chinese coast guard boat. The Philippine coast guard claims that a patrol boat and Filipino fishing boats were endangered by Chinese vessels. The Chinese were said to have acted 'aggressively' and fired a water cannon.

The incident took place at Scarborough Shoal, which China refers to as the Huangyan island, and which it occupied in 2012. It is located almost 350 kilometers west of Manila, and both countries lay claim to it.

China has had disputes with countries in the South China Sea since the 1940s, claiming virtually all waters and islands in the sea up to the island of Borneo. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in 2016 that the Chinese claims have no legal basis.