China’s coastguard has expelled Philippine boats from waters near the contested Scarborough Shoal, with Manila reporting a collision during the confrontation. Beijing said its coastguard acted lawfully and professionally after the Philippine vessels ignored warnings.

The Scarborough Shoal is located in the South China Sea, a critical maritime route claimed almost entirely by China despite an international ruling rejecting this claim. The Philippines, along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, also assert competing claims over parts of the area, according to Al Jazeera.