The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday accused Chinese vessels of "dangerous" maneuvers during a nine-day patrol near a reef off the coast of the Southeast Asian country.

The Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed in early February to patrol the waters around Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the South China Sea, and "ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen in the area."

The reef has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.