MANILA (UPDATED) - The United States on Saturday urged China to "desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct" as it noted media reports on the latest incident between the coast guards of Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea.

Describing the recently published imagery and video as a "a stark reminder of (the People's Republic of China) harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels as they undertake routine patrols within their exclusive economic zone," Washington expressed its support for Manila and even reiterated its mutual defense commitments under their 1951 treaty.

"The United States stands with The Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s continued infringement upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea," the US State Department said in a statement released through the office of its spokesperson.

"The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms that an armed attack in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea, on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," it added.

A Chinese coast guard ship cut off a Philippine patrol vessel carrying journalists in the South China Sea last Sunday, April 23, causing a near-collision, an Agence France-Presse team on board another boat saw.

The BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo of the Philippine Coast Guard were shadowed by Chinese navy and coast guard ships, and ordered to leave the waters several times during the April 18-24 journey.

"We would have collided on the bow had I not cut the engine and thrown it in reverse," Malapascua commanding officer Rodel Hernandez told reporters of the April 23 close call, describing it as an encounter between "David and Goliath".

The incident happened after the PCG boats approached Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, where Philippine marines are stationed in a run-down navy ship grounded to assert Manila's territorial claim in the waters.

As the 44-meter (144-feet) Malapascua neared the shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel more than twice its size sailed into its path.

Hernandez said the Chinese ship came within 45 meters of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.

AFP watched the incident from the Malabrigo, which was less than a kilometer away.

• Chinese, Philippine vessels in 'David and Goliath' near-crash

Asked about the incident, the Chinese foreign ministry said Friday the Philippine boats had "intruded" without China's permission.

"The Chinese coast guard vessel safeguarded China's territorial sovereignty and maritime order, in accordance with the law, while taking timely measures to avoid the dangerous approach of Philippine vessels and to avoid a collision," said spokeswoman Mao Ning.

"It was a premeditated and provocative action for the Philippine vessel to barge into the waters of Ren'ai Jiao with journalists on board, the aim was to deliberately find fault and take the opportunity to hype up the incident," she added, using the Chinese name for Ayungin Shoal.

Mao said the crew of the Chinese vessel had acted "professionally and with restraint".

But the PCG's Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela countered it, saying Manila is "under no obligation to request permission from other nations" when patrolling the waters near Ayungin Shoal which is part of its EEZ.

• Coast Guard official counters China, says West PH Sea patrol 'non-provocative'
• Lorenzana says China is trespasser at Ayungin Shoal; UNCLOS, arbitral award back PH claim

"Throughout their maritime patrol operations, PCG captains consistently follow the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs)," he said.

With the near-collision incident that Tarriela described as a "perilous maneuver" by China, he said Beijing breached the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and violated the 1972 COLREGs.

"The People's Republic of China is a signatory to both conventions," he pointed out.

On his Twitter page, Tarriela said the Philippines' exposé of China's aggression "aims to, devoid of any exaggeration or ill-intent, provide a truthful account of the situation in the West Philippine Sea."

In exposing PRCs aggression, the Philippines aims to, devoid of any exaggeration or ill-intent, provide a truthful account of the situation in the West Philippine Sea. The goal is to illustrate Beijing’s blatant disregard for international law and the resulting risk and dangers… https://t.co/5T83k52BbZ

— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) April 30, 2023

"The goal is to illustrate Beijing’s blatant disregard for international law and the resulting risk and dangers to the lives of PCG personnel simply doing their job," Tarriela said in a tweet in response to the US State Department's support for the Philippines amid intimidation in the South China Sea.

Tarriela also thanked the US and Australia "for their unwavering support."

"We remain optimistic that other states that recognize the importance of upholding international law and adhering to a rules-based order will follow suit and express their support," he said.

The latest in a steady string of incidents between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea happened as the armed forces of Manila and Washington were conducting their Balikatan Exercises.

• Kicking off Philippines drills, US vows defense in South China Sea

"We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct. The United States continues to track and monitor these interactions closely," the US State Department's statement on Saturday read.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is set to meet with US President Joe Biden in Washington on May 1.

• Biden to host Marcos in Washington for bilateral meeting: White House

- with reports from Agence France-Presse

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