The Philippines on Thursday said it has filed a diplomatic protest against China for its maneuvers that caused significant damage to a government vessel and injury to a Filipino crewman during an encounter at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said a note verbale was sent to China on that same day.

The Philippine government condemned what it called "illegal and hostile actions" by the China Coast Guard Aquatic Resources ship and Chinese Maritime Millia vessels against the Bureau of Fisheries ship during a humanitarian mission for Filipino fishermen on Sept. 16 near Bajo de Masinioc.

China spewed the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang with a water cannon.

The incident occurred almost a week after China announced a plan to turn Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve, which was strongly protested by the Philippines and several countries. DMS