Philippines sends largest ship, aircraft to drive away Chinese vessel in waters near Taiwan

The Philippines' coast guard said on Thursday that ​it has deployed its largest vessel and ​an aircraft to challenge a Chinese ‌research ship ​operating off northern Batanes province near Taiwan, adding that a Chinese coast guard vessel had also moved in.

The Philippine operation "disrupted the vessel's unauthorised marine ‌scientific research and compelled it to leave its loitering position," said Jay Tarriela, coast guard spokesperson on South China Sea issues.