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.

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

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

China claims nearly all of the disputed waterway, brushing off rival claims from other countries -- including the Philippines -- and an international arbitration tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

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.

The Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 that found China's sweeping claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea had no basis under international law. It now wants to hold Beijing accountable for what it says is its harvesting of giant clams and substantial environmental damage to coral reefs in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The US secretary of state opens his term by reaffirming Washington’s commitment to the Philippines and other regional allies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US remained committed to the Philippines' defense as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea.