Tensions escalated in the South China Sea after a violent altercation between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal. The incident occurred on Monday, leading both Beijing and Manila to summon each other's ambassadors on Tuesday.
The Philippine military accused Chinese personnel of beating and injuring a Philippine Navy sailor with a wooden baton during the seaborne confrontation.
China denied being the aggressor and lodged a protest against the Philippines for what it described as malicious harassment of its personnel. Beijing disputed Manila's version of the clash, while continuing to claim sovereignty over almost the entirety of the global trade route.
This latest flare-up has heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries ahead of a major diplomatic summit in Manila.