Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter harassed a group of Philippine fisheries vessels conducting a scientific survey in a hotly disputed area of the South China Sea, forcing them to cancel the operation,

The Philippines said on Saturday it has suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after two of its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.

China claims nearly all of the disputed waterway, brushing off rival claims from other countries -- including the Philippines -- and an international arbitration tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.