The Philippines said on Saturday it had suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.

Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter harassed a group of Philippine fisheries vessels conducting a scientific survey in a hotly disputed area of the South China Sea, forcing them to cancel the operation,

The Philippines launched a comic book on Friday in its fight against what it called distorted narratives about maritime rights in the disputed South China Sea, a move which drew criticism from China.