China's foreign ministry on Friday urged the Philippines to immediately stop "infringement and provocation" in the South China Sea or face China's "resolute response."
The remarks came a day after Beijing and Manila traded accusations following a confrontation between two of their vessels in contested waters of the South China Sea, Reuters said.
It was legitimate for China to take necessary measures, and the US should not use the Philippines to stir up trouble in the region, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press conference.