Ankara: Australia gave 20 aerial drones to the Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday as tensions continued to rise in the South China Sea. The Australian Embassy in Manila said Ambassador HK Yu handed over the drones to boost the Coast Guard's maritime domain capabilities.

According to Anadolu Agency, the embassy stated in a Facebook post that this initiative is a significant step in implementing the Strategic Partnership between the two nations. The delivery of drones was in response to a request from the Philippine Coast Guard, highlighting the collaborative efforts to enhance maritime security.

Australian drone experts also provided essential training to the Philippine Coast Guard. They conducted a four-day session in Manila, training 30 members of the Coast Guard's Aviation Command Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Squadron to effectively utilize the new drones.

In a related development, the China Coast Guard reported on Tuesday that it had driven away a Philippine vessel. The Chinese authorities accused the Philippine vessel of repeatedly harassing a Chinese ship that was patrolling near Huangyan Dao, also known as Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

The Chinese coast guard claimed that the Philippine vessel engaged in multiple dangerous maneuvers over Sunday and Monday, which were perceived as provocative actions. The Chinese statement, as reported by Xinhua News Agency, alleged that the Philippine actions seriously disrupted China's law enforcement operations.

The maritime region in question, the South China Sea, is rich in resources and is contested by several countries, including the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. China asserts claims over nearly the entire sea, leading to ongoing disputes with neighboring nations.