A Chinese vessel chased a Philippine supply boat travelling through contested waters in the South China Sea.

The Philippines' BRP Datu Sanday was delivering aid to fishermen near the disputed Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal when several Chinese ships conducted 'dangerous manoeuvres' on February 22, the Philippine Coast Guard claimed.

Footage shows a Chinese militia vessel appearing to chase the Philippine ship dispatched by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Another clip shows the BRP Datu Sanday surrounded by three of four Chinese ships in the area.

The PCG said a floating barrier had also been deployed by the Chinese Coast Guard to keep Philippine boats from entering the shoal.

Despite the blockade, the BRP Datu Sanday was reported to have successfully delivered its supplies to Filipino fishermen.

In a social media post, the Chinese Communist Party-owned newspaper People's Daily said: 'On Feb 22-23, Ship 3002 of the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources insisted on intruding into waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Island despite China's repeated dissuasion and warnings.

'The China Coast Guard (CCG) took necessary measures to monitor and repel the vessel in accordance with the law, a CCG spokesperson said, urging the Philippine side to immediately stop the infringement and noting China reserves the right to take further actions.'

PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela responded, saying: 'The persistent presence of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday, is in consistent with the national laws and the Philippines' position on the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The objective of her presence is to ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen in the area and to safeguard them from further harassment.

'Moreover, the BFAR also distributes fuel subsidies to the Filipino Fishing Boats (FFBs) that are present in the area to support their prolonged fishing activities.

'The Philippines has sovereignty over Bajo De Masinloc and its territorial sea, and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the surrounding waters falling within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as measured from the Philippine archipelagic baselines, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.'

China currently lays claim over almost the entire South China Sea, one of the world's busiest sea lanes. But a United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 deemed its claims groundless.