The Philippines said on Saturday it has suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after two of its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.

Chinese cutters, small boats and aircraft blocked a Philippine scientific research mission to the South China Sea features of Sand Cay on Friday, according to Philippine officials. BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV-3003) and BRP Datu Bankaw (MMOV-3004),

Philippine authorities suspended a scientific survey in the disputed South China Sea after its fisheries vessels faced “harassment” from China’s coast guard and navy.

The Philippine coast guard says Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter harassed a group of Philippine fisheries vessels conducting a scientific survey in a hotly disputed area of the South China Sea,

An expert told Newsweek China is hostile due to frustration at the presence of the U.S. Typhon missile system in the Philippines.

The Philippines will soon decide on an international platform to sue China for alleged damage to the marine environment, its justice minister said, as it pursues a second high-profile legal challenge against Beijing over the South China Sea.

A Philippine security official says China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

The Philippine government launched a comic book Friday asserting its claims in the disputed South China Sea, amid rising tensions

The Philippines launched a comic book on Friday in its fight against what it called distorted narratives about maritime rights in the disputed South China Sea, a move which drew criticism from China.

The Philippines has launched a comic book to counter what the country says is China’s disinformation campaign to push its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.