China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in its waters. China with its largest navy in the world claims most of the South China Sea, a key conduit for $3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade, as its own territory, with a massive coast guard presence in and around the EEZs of neighbours Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

The 12,000-tonne vessel has reportedly been operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone for three days.

Nine large China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, including the “monster ship” were “patrolling” in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines has denounced the presence of China's largest coast guard vessel in its economic waters, calling it an act of Chinese "intimidation, coercion and aggression."

THE PHILIPPINES on Tuesday said it views with alarm the presence of China’s largest coast guard ship within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), vowing to continue sea patrols. “We view it with concern,

No less than nine large vessels of China Coast Guard (CCG), including the so-called monster ship, have been patrolling the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS),

China's foreign ministry on Thursday urged the Philippines to return to "peaceful development", saying Manila's decision to deploy a U.S. medium-range missile system in military exercises would only bring the risks of an arms race in the region.

The Philippines has accused a giant Chinese coast guard vessel it dubbed as the “Monster” of maintaining an “illegal presence” in its exclusive economic zone as Beijing ramps up activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said China deployed a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) helicopter while Filipino forces were monitoring the Chinese "monster ship" in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Cabra (MMRV-4409) is "vigilantly" monitoring the illegal presence of a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship continuing to operate for the fourth day within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

China's efforts to put more pressure on the Philippines over a disputed atoll in the Sea could prove an early test for Donald Trump when he returns to the White House next month. Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal - which is known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines - in 2012,