The Philippines protested China's presence and deployment of vessels in Philippine waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday.

Friday's protest came a week after the Philippines and China held an online dialogue to manage and address their maritime disputes.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs lodged a diplomatic protest yesterday against the incessant deployment, prolonged presence, and illegal activities of Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels in the vicinity of Pag-Asa islands, demanding that China withdraw these vessels," a DFA statement said.

The DFA told China in its diplomatic note that "Pag-asa Islands is an integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction."

China maintains historic rights over nearly the entire waters despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling in The Hague, Netherlands that invalidated its claim. DMS