BEIJING (Reuters) - China's coast guard said the Philippines on Friday sent a civilian vessel to deliver provisions to its warship "illegally grounded" at Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed atoll in the South China Sea.

New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed China's "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" with his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday and underscored the "ironclad" U.S.

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,

Several Chinese coastguard vessels accused of making ‘aggressive manoeuvres’ towards Philippine fisheries boats.

The coastguard said a mission to collect sand samples was suspended due to the ‘disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces’.

A scientific survey by Philippine fisheries in the South China Sea was halted after Chinese coast guard ships and a naval helicopter intervened. The incident, near Sandy Cay, highlights ongoing territorial tensions between China and the Philippines in one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.

The Philippines alleges Chinese activities, including dredging, coral harvesting, and the construction of artificial islands, have caused significant and irreversible damage to coral reefs and marine biodiversity. China has accused the Philippines of causing damage to the Second Thomas Shoal by intentionally grounding a warship there in 1999.

New satellite imagery shows the Philippines continuing to monitor China's presence in its maritime zone, including the movements of a colossal Chinese coast guard (CCG) ship nicknamed the "Monster."

National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano and Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the South China Sea Jay Tarriela pose for a photo with a giant copy of the book "The Stories of Teacher Jun" during its launch at the National Library of the Philippines in Manila, Philippines, January 24, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

The Philippines launched a comic book on Friday to counter what the country says is China’s disinformation campaign to push its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea. The 40-page comic book,

The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries vessels faced "harassment" from three Chinese Coast Guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter, forcing them to suspend survey operations, the Philippine coast guard said.