China advises Philippines to not make 'provocations' in South China Sea

China's foreign ministry on Tuesday (September 26) advised the Philippines to not make provocations or seek trouble, a day after the Philippines said it had severed a floating barrier installed by Beijing in a disputed area in the South China Sea.

The Philippines said on Tuesday there were no signs of a standoff at a fiercely contested, China-held shoal in the South China Sea, a day after its coastguard severed the barrier installed by Beijing to block its fishermen.

China's coastguard had even removed remnants of the ball-buoy barrier from the Scarborough Shoal, a Philippine coastguard spokesperson said, adding Beijing was measured in its response to the presence of the vessel, which reached its closest point to the strategic atoll since China seized it in 2012.

When asked about the Philippines removing the floating barrier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin referred to the statement by the Philippine side as "entirely self-serving."

• FULL STORY: China warns Philippines not to 'stir up trouble' over Scarborough

(Report from Reuters; Production: Wang Shubing, Xiaoyu Yin)