Philippine ship in standoff with China leaves flashpoint reef

Manila says its ship had been "shadowed" by four Chinese coast guard vessels before leaving the disputed area

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over the South China Sea

A Philippine ship that had been locked in a standoff with Chinese vessels for nearly a week has left the disputed reef where it had been anchored, Manila said on Tuesday.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said in a statement that its ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, had been "shadowed" by four Chinese coast guard vessels before leaving the Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal, in the Spratly Islands.

The PCG said the Sierra Madre left the shoal "without any untoward incident" and is now en route to its home port in Palawan.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over the South China Sea.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including areas that are also claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Philippines has accused China of encroaching on its territorial waters and has filed a number of diplomatic protests.

China has denied any wrongdoing and has accused the Philippines of провокация.

The standoff at Second Thomas Shoal began on March 7, when the Sierra Madre was deployed to the area to conduct a resupply mission.

The Chinese coast guard vessels arrived shortly afterwards and blocked the Sierra Madre from leaving.

The Philippine government has condemned the Chinese action and has called for it to withdraw its vessels.

The United States has also expressed concern over the incident and has called on China to respect the Philippines' sovereign rights.

The standoff is the latest in a series of incidents that have raised tensions between the two countries.

In 2012, the Philippines and China had a standoff over Scarborough Shoal, another disputed area in the South China Sea.

The standoff was eventually resolved through diplomatic channels, but it left a legacy of mistrust and suspicion between the two countries.