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, forcing them to cancel the operation,

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.

The Philippine coast guard reported that China's coast guard and navy conducted aggressive maneuvers against Manila's fisheries vessels. The harassment from three Chinese Coast Guard ships and a navy helicopter forced Philippine vessels to halt a scientific survey in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard and navy’s harassment of the Philippine vessels took place on Friday near Sandy Cay, three small uninhabited sandbars planked by an artificial island base of Chinese forces and a Philippines-occupied island in the Spratlys archipelago, the coast guard said.

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.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ordered a Chinese vessel to leave Philippine waters. Footage shows the PCG BRP Suluan issuing a radio challenge to China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3103 seen lurking 70 nautical miles off Zambales province,

The Philippine coast guard continues to keep tabs on its Chinese counterpart, which continues its dayslong presence in waters off the Zambales province.