Watch: Chinese coastguard slammed after blasting Philippines research ship with water cannon

The Chinese coastguard has been slammed for its "aggressive interference” after it blasted a Philippines research ship with water canons.

Video footage shows the Chinese vessel sidesweeping a much smaller Philippines ship in the South China Sea, in what Manilla’s fisheries bureau said put the crews’ “lives at risk”.

Panicked crew onboard the Philippine ship can be heard shouting as the Chinese vessel draws closer and closer.

Filipino officials said the incident “occurred within the territorial sea of the Philippines” as the ships were collecting sand samples from Sandy Cay.

Meanwhile, the Chinese coastguard said two Philippine vessels had illegally entered waters and ignored warnings from Beijing about coming too close to the Chinese ships, which it said it was conducting regular law enforcement operations.