South China Sea: Manila says Beijing damaged Philippine coast guard vessel with water cannon

Philippine coast guard vessel is water-cannoned by Chinese coast guards as it tries to approach the waters near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Photograph: Philippine Coast Guard via AP Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels confronted one another in the South China Sea on Tuesday raising tensions in a dispute between the two countries over maritime rights. Manila claimed that China's coast guard shot powerful water cannon towards Philippine vessels, damaging one of them. The incident occurred near the Scarborough Shoal, one of a number of reefs, small islands and other maritime features in the South China Sea…