Manila, Philippines - After months of violent clashes and increasingly tense rhetoric between China and the Philippines, the two countries have reached an "arrangement" to manage maritime tensions.

Manila has announced that it reached a "provisional arrangement" with Beijing over how to manage the disputed South China Sea waters around the Second Thomas Shoal.

Over the last few months, tensions have skyrocketed between the two countries as the Philippines repeatedly stationed military personnel on the shoal, which it claims as sovereign territory.

In June, Filipino military authorities accused the Chinese Coast Guard of using "spears and knives" in violent clashes around the Second Thomas Shoal. A week later, the Philippines warned of the potential for nuclear conflict over the disputed South China Sea.

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The Shoal itself has been controversial since the late 1990s, when the Philippines deliberately beached a naval ship there as a way to reinforce its claim.

China and the Philippines have now reached a deal that will allow resupply missions to reach the ship and its garrison safely, while de-escalating the geopolitical situation.

"Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through peaceful means. Both sides agreed that the principles and approaches will not prejudice each other's positions in the South China Sea," the Filipino Department of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.

In addition to more symbolic measures, the Philippines said it had reached an agreement that allowed them to resupply the naval ship without clashing with the Chinese coast guard.

Despite the statements made by the Philippines, confusion remains over the exact nature of the agreement that has taken place.

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that an agreement was made, but clarified their position that the ship needed to be towed away and the region be left alone by the Philippines.

"We continue to demand that the Philippine side tow away the warship and restore the [the Second Thomas Shoal's] state of hosting no personnel or facilities," explained a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on June 22.

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"Between now and when the warship is towed away, should the Philippines need to send living necessities to the personnel living on the warship, China is willing to allow it in a humanitarian spirit if the Philippines informs China in advance."

This statement gave way to confusion over the agreement when the Philippines' foreign ministry spokesperson Teresita Daza on Monday called it "inaccurate," and affirmed that they "will continue to assert our rights and jurisdiction in our maritime zones."

"I want to stress that the agreement was concluded with the clear understanding by both sides that it will not prejudice our respective national positions."