"The move is aimed at resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty and security, and upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea region," the PLA command was cited as saying by Xinhua.
Chinese military spokesperson Senior Captain Zhao Zhiwei said in a statement that the actions by the Philippine side "severely violated China's sovereignty and contravened both Chinese law and relevant provisions of international law.
The Philippines government on Tuesday protested "Chinese escalations" in the South China Sea after it implemented a maritime law asserting its exclusive right to tap resources in a 370-kilometre (200-nautical-mile) zone off the country's coast.
Philippine activists have embarked on a voyage towards a disputed reef in the South China Sea, prompting China to issue warnings against Manila for permitting the civilian mission in the West Philippine Sea, a term Manila uses for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its 200-nautic