The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard assaulted three Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts Sunday and rammed one of them, causing serious engine damage off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just a day after similar hostilities at another shoal, the Philippine coast guard said.

The latest confrontation happened near Second Thomas Shoal as two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and Philippine coast guard escort ships were en route to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces in a long-marooned navy ship that serves as a territorial outpost, said a coast guard spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

No other details were provided. Drone video footage and photographs issued by the Philippine coast guard show two Chinese coast guard ships separately blasting water cannons at close range at a Philippine coast guard patrol ship, BRP Cabra, and a smaller supply boat.

39 points

I realize this is a serious situation, but I can’t help but be amused by the idea of navies essentially shooting each other with squirt guns.

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34 points
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It is, those are ‘water cannons’ they’re not squirt guns. Just adding so people understand how high pressure these things can be.

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3 points

Is there a reason people don’t just shoot one back at them?

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6 points

Because China will yell “ESCALATION!!! SEEE THEY ARE ATTACKING US” and come back with actual warships and bullets next time.

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15 points

China has a weird thing with fighting over disputes without weapons. In the Himalayas the Chinese and Indians semi-regularly clash with sticks or baseball bats. There are videos and they are amazing.

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15 points

Pretty sure this is because both sides agreed to not carry firearms in those areas. I’d guess to prevent a full-scale war breaking out

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3 points

Yes this is why. They agreed not to use firearms on their border, but still clash anyways, just with different weapons

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5 points

are sticks and baseball bat’s not weapons? I’m confused.

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2 points

Less lethal than a gun.

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11 points

Maybe one day, wars will be fought not with bullets, but with squirt guns.

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6 points

Just like the emojis predicted

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15 points

Are ramming ships about to come back so these navies can wage low stakes territory war without starting any shooting? China’s already in a stick war with India so it’s not even that far fetched.

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4 points

Isn’t that what Einstein was talking about? We just cut out the nuclear war that should have come before that.

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15 points

No no, see what happened was the Chinese ship was trying to clear their water hoses from being clogged, and no matter where they aimed at the Philippine boat navigated to that exact spot in an act of aggression.

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9 points

This reminds me of that time. England and Iceland went to “war” over fishing rights in the 70s and just, like, cut fishing nets and rammed each other’s boats

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8 points

So begins the super soaker wars

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