Philippines summons Chinese envoy over water cannon attack ( www.dw.com )

The Philippines summoned a Chinese Embassy official to protest the "harassment of Philippine vessels" as tensions flare up in the South China Sea.

The Philippines on Thursday summoned a senior Chinese diplomat over Beijing's use of water cannon against Filipino vessels at a contested shoal in the South China Sea.

"The Philippines protested the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous maneuvers, use of water cannons, and other aggressive actions of China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels against" Filipino government vessels, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry said that the deputy chief of the Chinese Embassy, Zhou Zhiyong, was summoned to hear Manila's 20th protest against Beijing this year, one of 153 under the current administration.