China and the Philippines gave conflicting versions on Wednesday of a maritime confrontation around a contested shoal in the South China Sea, the latest row in a longstanding dispute between the neighbours.

Chinese ships today blasted a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in the latest flashpoint at a contested shoal in the South China Sea. China Coast Guard vessel 3302 fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya,

Aside from the harassment in Bajo de Masinloc, PCG said that four of its vessels deployed near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea were also harassed by China.

China put "lives at risk" with the "unlawful use of water cannons" against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, the U.S. ambassador in Manila says.