MANILA, Dec 13 - The Philippine coast guard said on Saturday that three Filipino fishermen had been wounded and two fishing vessels suffered "significant damage" when Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannon in a ‍disputed ​South China Sea shoal.

Manila's coast guard said nearly two ‍dozen Filipino fishing boats near Sabina Shoal were targeted with water cannon and blocking manoeuvres on Friday. A small ​Chinese ​coast guard boat also cut the anchor lines of several Filipino boats, endangering their crews, it said.