Chinese coast guard vessels, backed by navy ships, have fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel in renewed aggression in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The Philippines said the China Coast Guard fired water cannon and "sideswiped" a government vessel Wednesday during a maritime patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, after Beijing said it had "exercised control" over the ship.

The Philippines said a China Coast Guard ship fired a water cannon at its vessel, while a Chinese Navy ship did “dangerous” moves around a disputed South China Sea shoal.