Philippines calls on China to stop 'provocative actions'

The Philippines has repeated its call for China to stop its "provocative actions", warning that its continued attempts to block Manila's resupply missions to a disputed atoll in the South China Sea could have "disastrous results".

Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson at the National Security Council, said in a press conference on Monday that China's move to interfere with a resupply mission on Sunday resulted in damage to one of Manila's boats but no one was harmed.

"We are relieved and thankful that no Filipino personnel were harmed. But we are concerned by the escalation and provocations by Chinese vessels who have no business being in the West Philippine Sea," Malaya said.

In the incident early on Sunday, China's coastguard said there had been a "slight collision" between one of its ships and the Philippine boat while the coastguard was "lawfully" blocking the boat from transporting "illegal construction materials" to the warship.

Manila responded by condemning "in the strongest degree" the "dangerous blocking manoeuvres" of the Chinese vessel, while Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered his coastguard to investigate and called for a meeting with security authorities, his office said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, China's embassy in Manila said on Monday it had lodged stern representations to the Philippines over the "trespassing" of Philippine vessels at the disputed Second Thomas shoal in the South China Sea.

The embassy repeated China's call for the Philippines to stop "causing trouble and provocation" at sea and to end "groundless attacks and smearing" against China.