Philippines condemns Chinese boats' 'illegal' actions in South China Sea

Philippines condemns "illegal" actions by Chinese vessels in South China Sea; two Philippine Coast Guard vessels escorting supply boats to Second Thomas Shoal encountered four Chinese Coast Guard and four "militia" boats.

The Philippines condemned "illegal" actions by Chinese vessels on Friday after the boats allegedly interfered in another resupply mission to a remote military outpost in the disputed South China Sea.

Two Philippine Coast Guard vessels were escorting supply boats to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands when they encountered four Chinese coast guard and four "militia" boats, the Philippines coast guard said.

While the cargo was successfully delivered to the handful of Filipino troops on a grounded Navy ship, the Chinese vessels had carried out "harassment, dangerous maneuvers, and aggressive conduct" towards the Philippine boats, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.

"The Task Force strongly deplores and condemns the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilising conduct of the CCG and the CMM within our nation's EEZ," the task force said, using the acronyms for the Chinese vessels and the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.

China claims almost the entire waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

In a statement, the China Coast Guard spokesperson accused the Philippine boats of entering the waters around the reef "without obtaining permission from the Chinese government".

"The Chinese Coast Guard issued stern warnings, trailed their entire course, and effectively regulated the Philippine ships in accordance with the law," the spokesperson said.