<p>Manila: The Philippine government slammed China on Monday for "repeated aggressive, unprofessional and illegal" actions in the South China Sea after a string of clashes and incidents on air and at sea over the past week.</p><p>The Philippines' national maritime council said Chinese aircraft made unsafe manoeuvres against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over the Scarborough shoal and Subi reef.</p><p>On Sunday, Chinese vessels also "blocked, rammed and fired water cannons" against a government fisheries vessel while doing a resupply mission to Filipino fishermen in Sabina shoal, it said.</p><p>These actions are "alarming", the maritime council said in a statement.</p><p>"Calls into question China's supposed commitment to de-escalate the situation in the area and create a conducive environment for dialogue and consultation," the council said.</p><p>The Philippines added it will continue to pursue diplomacy in managing the maritime issues, and urged China "to return to the path of constructive dialogue" on South China Sea matters.</p><p>Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro separately said on Monday that China's actions were "patently illegal" following the clash near Sabina shoal.</p>.Philippines accuses Chinese vessels of blocking South China Sea supply mission, ramming its ship.<p>"We have to expect these kinds of behaviour from China because this is a struggle. We have to be ready to anticipate and to get used to these kinds of acts of China which are patently illegal as we have repeatedly said," Teodoro told reporters.</p><p>In the incident at Sabina shoal, Manila's South China Sea task force accused Chinese vessels of ramming and using water canons against a Philippine fisheries vessel transporting food, fuel and medicine for Filipino fishermen.</p><p>The Chinese coast guard said the Philippine vessel "ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed" China's law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision.</p><p>On Monday, another incident transpired around the same shoal.</p><p>China's Coast Guard said it took "control measures" against two Philippine coast guard vessels that "illegally intruded" into the waters around Sabina, and then approached Chinese coast guard vessels in a "dangerous manner and incited hype".</p><p>Officials from the Philippine coast guard and South China Sea task force did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the latest run-in on a public holiday in Manila.</p><p>Asked if the Sunday incident would trigger treaty obligations between the United States and the Philippines, Teodoro said: "That is putting the cart before the horse. Let us deter an armed attack, that is the more important thing."</p><p>The Philippines and the United States have a mutual defence treaty and Washington has vowed to aid the Philippines against armed attacks on its vessels and soldiers in the South China Sea.</p><p>The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Monday is a public holiday in the Philippines.</p><p>China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei.</p><p>An international arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled that China's claim had no basis under international law, a decision Beijing has rejected.</p>
<p>Manila: The Philippine government slammed China on Monday for "repeated aggressive, unprofessional and illegal" actions in the South China Sea after a string of clashes and incidents on air and at sea over the past week.</p><p>The Philippines' national maritime council said Chinese aircraft made unsafe manoeuvres against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over the Scarborough shoal and Subi reef.</p><p>On Sunday, Chinese vessels also "blocked, rammed and fired water cannons" against a government fisheries vessel while doing a resupply mission to Filipino fishermen in Sabina shoal, it said.</p><p>These actions are "alarming", the maritime council said in a statement.</p><p>"Calls into question China's supposed commitment to de-escalate the situation in the area and create a conducive environment for dialogue and consultation," the council said.</p><p>The Philippines added it will continue to pursue diplomacy in managing the maritime issues, and urged China "to return to the path of constructive dialogue" on South China Sea matters.</p><p>Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro separately said on Monday that China's actions were "patently illegal" following the clash near Sabina shoal.</p>.Philippines accuses Chinese vessels of blocking South China Sea supply mission, ramming its ship.<p>"We have to expect these kinds of behaviour from China because this is a struggle. We have to be ready to anticipate and to get used to these kinds of acts of China which are patently illegal as we have repeatedly said," Teodoro told reporters.</p><p>In the incident at Sabina shoal, Manila's South China Sea task force accused Chinese vessels of ramming and using water canons against a Philippine fisheries vessel transporting food, fuel and medicine for Filipino fishermen.</p><p>The Chinese coast guard said the Philippine vessel "ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed" China's law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision.</p><p>On Monday, another incident transpired around the same shoal.</p><p>China's Coast Guard said it took "control measures" against two Philippine coast guard vessels that "illegally intruded" into the waters around Sabina, and then approached Chinese coast guard vessels in a "dangerous manner and incited hype".</p><p>Officials from the Philippine coast guard and South China Sea task force did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the latest run-in on a public holiday in Manila.</p><p>Asked if the Sunday incident would trigger treaty obligations between the United States and the Philippines, Teodoro said: "That is putting the cart before the horse. Let us deter an armed attack, that is the more important thing."</p><p>The Philippines and the United States have a mutual defence treaty and Washington has vowed to aid the Philippines against armed attacks on its vessels and soldiers in the South China Sea.</p><p>The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Monday is a public holiday in the Philippines.</p><p>China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei.</p><p>An international arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled that China's claim had no basis under international law, a decision Beijing has rejected.</p>