Chinese ships fired water cannon at Philippine vessels, including one carrying a CNN crew, near a dangerous flashpoint in the South China Sea on Friday – the third tense confrontation this week in the contested waters.
Besides rich fishing grounds in its lagoon and surrounding waters, there’s seemingly little remarkable about the shoal. But this corner of the world is a deceptively fraught geopolitical hotspot.
Free access to one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, a mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and the United States, and a steady Chinese push to solidify claims over disputed territories mean one navigational mistake or errant shot could spark serious conflict.
CNN was given exclusive access aboard a vessel belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, on a mission to resupply fuel for local fishermen near Scarborough Shoal, a sandbar claimed by both Beijing and Manila.
As the Philippine ships approached the shoal on Friday, several larger China Coast Guard ships pulled close enough that CNN’s crew could see the faces of the personnel on board.
