MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines vowed on Tuesday not to back down in the face of a Chinese effort to block its fishermen from a fiercely contested shoal in the South China Sea, while Beijing warned the Southeast Asian nation not to “provoke and cause trouble.”

The comments came a day after Manila cut a floating 300-meter barrier installed by Beijing at Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag or Scarborough Shoal), one of Asia’s most contested maritime features, making use of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel posing as fishermen in a small boat.

Read More–>PH vows no backing down as China warns vs provocation