In the South China Sea, the Philippines criticizes Chinese ships' 'close distance maneuvers.'

A recent episode of "close distance maneuvering" by a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel in the disputed South China Sea "restricted" the movement of a Philippine ship sailing nearby, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

According to the PCG, the incident occurred on March 2 during Philippine marine patrol operations around the Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc.
It was unclear whether the Philippines had filed a diplomatic complaint in response to the event. Before making the event public, the PCG said it had to wait for approval from the country's National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

According to the PCG, the incident involved a Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 3305 that conducted close distance maneuvering in the direction of the Philippine vessel BRP Malabrigo over an area of roughly 21 yards (19.2 meters).

"This limited BRP Malabrigo's maneuvering area — a clear breach of the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS)," according to the PCG.
According to the PCG commandant, Adm. Artemio Abu, the country's Department of Foreign Affairs has been asked to assist in resolving the matter through "rules-based and peaceful measures."

Requests for comment to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Manila were not immediately returned.
China claims most of the South China Sea seas under the so-called Nine-Dash Line, which is also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

According to Abu, this was the fourth close-range maneuvering incident involving the Chinese Coast Guard and Philippine warships in the Scarborough Shoal since May of last year.
Despite the dangers, Abu said Philippine assets and personnel would continue to be deployed to waters within the country's exclusive economic zones.