A senior navy official stated on Thursday that China's coastguard personnel behaved like "a band of barbarians" this week during a Philippine supply mission to a disputed shoal in South China Sea, which resulted in injuries and damages to vessels.

A Philippine sailor was seriously injured after what the Philippine military called "intentional high speed ramming by the Chinese Coast Guard" in an attempt to disrupt a supply mission for troops on Second Thomas Shoal.

China's Coast Guard personnel - who Philippine military officials claimed were carrying knives and spears - looted firearms from Philippine boats and "deliberately punctured them".

In a telephone interview with Roy Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson on Thursday, he said: "We weren't prepared for that type of response." "We adhered to the rules of engagement." "They were not allowed use firearms except in self-defense."

Trinidad warned that China's "illegal and aggressive" behavior could lead to a miscalculation on the sea.

China's Foreign Ministry disputed the Philippines statement. A spokesperson said on Thursday that all the measures taken by the Chinese government were legal, professional, and above reproach.

Lin Jian, the ministry's spokesperson, said that "the Philippine ships did not only carry construction materials; they also smuggled arms and equipment and deliberately hit Chinese ships."

Lin said at a press conference that "non-personnel" had also sprayed water and thrown things at Chinese law enforcement officials, which has clearly aggravated tensions at sea and seriously threatened the safety of Chinese personnel on vessels and at sea.

In the last year, the Philippines has increasingly been involved in confrontations with China. Beijing is pressing its claims, and Manila refuses to stop its resupply missions. China has been trying to repel these vessels, as it considers them illegal intrusions.

"Our approach is aboveboard." What they did was piracy...barbaric. I call them barbarians. "They have no right wearing the uniform. Coast guardsmen are supposed to be in charge of safety at sea, but their actions endanger lives at sea," Trinidad told reporters separately.

Trinidad said, "It doesn't speak well of a nation that wants to become a global force."

U.S. Secretary Of State

Antony Blinken

On Wednesday, I spoke with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo about China's actions, which Washington and Britain have both condemned.