Another clash between Philippines and China was seen when three ships from the Chinese coastguard blocked and fired water cannons on two Philippines supply boats within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed South China Sea.

Taking to the twitter, Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin said the incident took place near Ayungin Shoal on November 16. He said the Philippine vessels were taking food supplies to military personnel stationed nearby but were forced to abandon the mission.

"Fortunately, no one was hurt; but our boats had to abort their resupply mission," Locsin said in a statement and described the acts of the three Chinese vessels of blocking and using water cannon as "illegal".

Locsin described the Philippine boats as "public”. He added that they were civilian vessels and were covered by a mutual defence pact with the United States.

Locsin said in a statement shared on social media by the Foreign Ministry, “China has no law enforcement rights in and around these areas. They must take heed and back off.”

Locsin accused China of failing to exercise self-restraint and said he had conveyed Manila’s “outrage, condemnation and protest” over the incident to the Chinese ambassador.

Locsin said the shoal was within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone, and warned China's "failure to exercise self-restraint threatens the special relationship" between the two countries.

"We do not ask permission to do what we need to do in our territory," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been criticised for not taking a tougher line on the country’s South China Sea activities. But on Thursday he backed the foreign affairs ministry’s swift response.

“We will continue to assert our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over our territory,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the Philippines complained about the weeks-long presence of dozens of Chinese vessels from at Whitsun Reef, which lies within Philippines EEZ.

In 2012, China forcibly took control of Scarborough Shoal, which lies 229km west of the Philippine island of Luzon.

Image Courtesy: AFP