A screenshot of video clip released by China Coast Guard

Recently, the Philippines' illegally grounded warship at Ren'ai Jiao released two small boats that ignored China's repeated clear warnings, approached Chinese coast guard vessels conducting normal law-enforcement operations in an unprofessional and dangerous manner. Chinese coast guard vessels took control measures against the Philippine vessels in accordance with laws and regulations, and the operations were legitimate and lawful, Gan Yu, spokesperson for the China Coast Guard (CCG), said in a statement on Friday. 

The CCG also released a 33-second video showing two small boats approaching a Chinese vessel, with one person on the Philippine boat holding what appeared to be a camera. The other boat kept some distance. 

We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately stop all acts of infringement, provocation, and propaganda hype. CCG will continue to carry out rights-protection law-enforcement activities in the waters of Ren'ai Jiao in accordance with the law, resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Gan said.

The video clearly shows that the Philippine boats approached with hostility and provocation, while the CCG exercised restraint by merely driving them away without using force. It is the Philippines that continues its provocations, Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

On August 11, multiple Philippine Coast Guard and official vessels illegally entered the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao. CCG vessels responded with lawful measures, including monitoring, shadowing, blocking, and controlling to drive them away. During this time, Philippine Coast Guard vessels repeatedly engaged in dangerous maneuvers, including high-speed incursions and sharp turns across the bows of Chinese ships, creating a complex and tense situation at sea, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said on August 15. 

The Global Times recently obtained exclusive photos and videos, which serve as evidence exposing two earlier instances of dangerous and unprofessional maneuvers by Philippine ships, revealing Manila as a habitual offender that deliberately stages incidents and undermines peace and stability in the region.

Chen said the Philippines' latest move appeared premeditated, as it had recently hyped claims of a "surge" of Chinese vessels and "armed" boats in the South China Sea. With falsehoods and distortions, Manila is deliberately framing China's normal law enforcement operation as "offensive" to mislead the international community, Chen added.

The Philippine military on Thursday claimed that China has deployed several coast guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels and "observed an increase in the presence of Chinese vessels" in Ren'ai Jiao, according to Philippines news outlet inquirer.net. 

The Philippines is once again hyping the so-called "Chinese military buildup" to portray itself as the victim of "big country bullying a small country," Chen said.

In reality, China's coast guard operations are lawful, legitimate, and restrained. It is the Philippines' continued dangerous maneuvers that escalate tensions in the South China Sea and sharply increase the risk of conflict, Chen warned, adding that if such actions continue, the Philippines will face the consequences.