China said on Friday that the Philippines' "premeditated and provocative action" was to blame for a near-collision in the South China Sea between a patrol boat carrying journalists and a Chinese coast guard ship.

In the incident on Sunday, two Philippine coast guard vessels approached Second Thomas Shoal, also called Ren'ai Jiao in China. 

The Malapascua's commanding officer said the Chinese ship came within 45 meters of his boat and only his quick actions prevented the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.

Commenting on the incident on Friday at a regular press briefing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Philippine boats had "intruded" without China's permission. 

"The Chinese coast guard vessel safeguarded China's territorial sovereignty and maritime order, in accordance with the law, while taking timely measures to avoid the dangerous approach of Philippine vessels and to avoid a collision," said spokesperson Mao Ning.

"It was a premeditated and provocative action for the Philippine vessel to barge into the waters of Ren'ai Jiao with journalists on board, the aim was to deliberately find fault and take the opportunity to hype up the incident," she added. 

Elsewhere in her remarks, Mao affirmed that the crew of the Chinese vessel had acted "professionally and with restraint."

Meanwhile, Mao's Philippine counterpart Teresita Daza accused them of putting the Malapascua's crew in "serious danger".

"Routine patrols in our own waters can neither be premeditated nor provocative," Daza said. 

"It is a legal right that we exercised and will continue to exercise," she added.

This is happening just a day after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for talks in Manila aimed at easing tensions in the contested waterway.

Marcos, who took over for Duterte in June, opted for a more pro-American foreign policy and attempted to hasten the EDCA's implementation.

Concurrently, the US is exerting strained efforts to incite conflict in the resource-rich South China Sea region, most notably between China and the Philippines, and is eager to undermine the region's rules-based order, which includes erecting artificial barriers to maritime peacebuilding between Beijing and Manila. Meanwhile, China is responding to US’ escalating strategy by moving closer to its geopolitical neighbors.