Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesperson on South China Sea issues, described the Chinese Coast Guard manoeuvres as “deliberate, planned and escalatory”.

A Philippine sailor suffered serious injury after what its military described as “intentional-high speed ramming” by the Chinese Coast Guard on June 17 during a resupply mission for troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal.

China has disputed the Philippines’ account, saying the actions by its coast guard were lawful and beyond reproach. There was no immediate comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Trinidad’s remarks.

“It was the most aggressive action ever conducted by agents of aggression of Chinese communist part in South China Sea,” Trinidad told reporters, referring to the June 17 incident.

The Philippines has sent missions to resupply soldiers living aboard a rusty, aging warship deliberately grounded by Manila in 1999 at the atoll to reinforce its sovereignty claims. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including portions claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China’s claims had no legal basis.