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,

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.

The Philippine Coast Guard has entered its third week of actively challenging its Chinese counterparts, including a 12,000-ton “monster” China Coast Guard cutter within the country’s exclusive economic zone off Western Luzon.

The Philippine coast guard reported that China's coast guard and navy conducted aggressive maneuvers against Manila's fisheries vessels. The harassment from three Chinese Coast Guard ships and a navy helicopter forced Philippine vessels to halt a scientific survey in the South China Sea.

Two Philippine ships had to call off their scientific probe after Chinese vessels and a helicopter intercepted them near the Spratly archipelago, according to the Philippines' coast guard.

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