MANILA, Oct 20 Reuters - The Philippines has issued a diplomatic protest over Chinese vessels challenging its ships patrolling the South China SeaChina Sea with sirens, horns and radio communications, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have simmered in territorial waters for years where both countries have strategic claims.
These provocative acts threaten the peace, good order, and security of the South China SeaChina Sea and run contrary to China's obligations under international law, the foreign ministry said on Twitter.
The ministry said on Wednesday more than 200 such challenges took place while the Philippines was conducting routine patrols over and around its territory and maritime zones. It did not specify over which time period the challenges took place.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours.
China claims sovereignty over vast swathes of the South China SeaChina Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have competing claims for some or all of the islands.
In 2016, an international tribunal invalidated China's expansive claim in the strategic waterway where about $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes annually.
But President Rodrigo Duterte pursued the favorable ruling and shelved the rapprochement with Beijing in exchange for pledges of billions of dollars of loans, aid and investment, much of which have yet to materialise.
Since Duterte took office in June 2016, China has filed more than 80 diplomatic protests against the Philippines.