The Philippine Coast Guard says Chinese maritime militia vessels harassed Filipino fishing boats near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea early Monday, escalating tensions in another disputed stretch of water. According to Manila, the Chinese boats blocked the fishermen and used water cannons during the encounter.

The reported incident adds to a long-running maritime standoff between the Philippines and China, which both claim influence over parts of the strategic waterway. Scarborough Shoal has remained one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the broader territorial dispute, with repeated confrontations between coast guard and fishing vessels.

Manila said it filed a fresh diplomatic protest after the latest confrontation. The Philippine government has increasingly challenged Chinese pressure in the region while seeking to protect its fishermen, who depend on access to waters that have become heavily contested.

The episode underscores the continuing risk to civilian livelihoods in the South China Sea, where maritime patrols, aggressive maneuvers and water cannon incidents have become a recurring feature of the dispute.