The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ordered a Chinese vessel to leave Philippine waters.

Footage shows the PCG BRP Suluan issuing a radio challenge to China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3103 seen lurking 70 nautical miles off Zambales province, on January 21.

The Chinese ship had replaced the 'monster ship' CCG 5901, which was still staying within the 200-mile Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.

In a statement, PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said: 'Despite challenging sea conditions with wave heights of 2-3 meters, BRP Suluan has maintained close monitoring of CCG-3103, effectively preventing the larger vessel from approaching the Zambales coastline.

'Furthermore, the PCG vessel has aggressively radio-challenged CCG-3103, asserting that its illegal presence violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.'

The Chinese vessel is just one of several vessels sent near the coast of the Philippines on maritime patrol.

Among them is the massive CCG 5901, the world's largest coast guard vessel at 541 feet and 12,000 tons, which started lurking off the seaside province of Zambales on January 4 afternoon.

Authorities believe the ships were deployed to intimidate Filipino fishermen from entering the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed fishing ground and resource-rich area in the South China Sea.

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.

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