(Fox News) The U.S. State Department on Saturday said it “stands with” the Philippines against China’s “infringement” on the Southeast Asian country’s “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea, accusing the Communist country of “harassment.”

“The United States stands with The Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s continued infringement upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” the State Department said in a release. “Imagery and video recently published in the media is a stark reminder of PRC harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels as they undertake routine patrols within their exclusive economic zone. We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct. The United States continues to track and monitor these interactions closely.”