Footage shows how the Chinese Coast Guard allegedly harassed Filipino ships in the South China Sea.

The Philippine government ships and fishing boats were deploying 'floating aggregate devices' in Rozul Reef around 237 kilometres northwest of Palawan province when two vessels from Communist China with bow numbers 21551 and 21556 reportedly threatened them with water cannons on April 4.

In a post online, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela wrote: 'The Chinese Coast Guard vessels went as far as pretending to man their water cannons and threatening the Filipino fishermen, demonstrating China's unlawful behavior aimed at depriving the Filipinos of their rights to access the resources in our Exclusive Economic Zone.

'This aggressive action stems from China's greed and unfounded claim that these waters belong to them based on their imaginary dashed line.'

Tarriela said the same two Chinese ships were 'the usual interdictors' in the Philippine Coast Guard's latest resupply mission at the Ayungin Shoal.

Expansionist 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. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Tibet are all fighting to free themselves from the country.

The Communist rogue state - accused of genocide for its crimes against the Uyghur population - has been steadily empire-building in recent years through investment in developing countries.