The Philippines has released aerial footage showing Chinese military bases in contested areas of the South China Sea.

Footage shows the 'heavily fortified' Zamora and Panganiba Reefs housing Chinese army structures, including a naval base and an airfield. The territories, which were near the Philippines' Pag-asa Island, were also surrounded by a fleet of Chinese vessels.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela published the videos on March 30, as state-owned publication China Daily accused the Philippines of 'provoking incidents' in the South China Sea.

He said in a statement: 'First, China occupied Panganiban Reef in 1995, claiming it would serve only as a fishermen's shelter, even though it is situated within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Nearly two decades later, they transformed this shelter into a heavily fortified military base, complete with defense capabilities, a naval base, and an airfield.

'Secondly, they reclaimed Zamora Reef, which was initially a submerged feature, and developed it into a significant artificial island equipped with a 3,000-meter runway and military infrastructure. This island is positioned near the edge of the Philippines' EEZ, and its proximity to Pag-asa Island, which is occupied by the Philippines, places it within the 12 nautical miles territorial sea generated by Pag-asa Island's maritime entitlements.'

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PCG reported that a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel was recently seen monitoring the Philippine, US, and Japanese navies holding joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea on March 28.

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.