The Philippines has accused a giant Chinese coast guard vessel it dubbed as the “Monster” of maintaining an “illegal presence” in its exclusive economic zone as Beijing ramps up activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippines has deployed air and sea assets of its military and coast guard in its exclusive economic zone to monitor China's largest coast guard vessel, calling the ship's presence an act of Chinese "intimidation,

A Chinese navy helicopter hovered over a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel as China's monster ship lingered in Philippine waters. Footage shows the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) aircraft with tail number 47 circling above the PCG BRP Cabra monitoring the gargantuan China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901 some 70 nautical miles off Zambales province on January 7.

The PCG has been monitoring the "monster ship" since last Saturday, when it was spotted by the Dark Vessel Detection system 54 nautical miles off Capones Island in Zambales.