MANILA, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The Philippines will defy new Chinese fishing rules in disputed areas of the East Sea and the navy will escort fishing boats to protect them if necessary, the defence secretary said on Thursday.

China imposed fishing restrictions from the beginning of year, requiring foreign fishing vessels to obtain approval before entering the waters.

"We will not follow their rules," Philippine Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters. "Why should we seek permission from another country? They do not own our fishing grounds. That's ours, okay."

Gazmin said the navy would escort the boats if needed.

"We still have the capability to secure them," he said. "There is really a need to show force because China has been very aggressive lately. They started with air defence identification zone, then this fishing laws."

Liu Xigui, director of China's State Oceanic Administration, said China would "strengthen" its sea presence this year, including around Scarborough Shoal, one of the main areas of contention with the Philippines.

"In 2014, we will ... resolutely uphold and protect the state's maritime rights," the official Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

The fishing rules do not outline penalties, but the requirements are similar to a 2004 law that says boats entering Chinese territory without permission can have their catch and equipment seized and face fines of up to 500,000 yuan ($82,600).

China was imposing the fishing rules because it was projecting itself as a superpower, Gazmin said. "But, it is applying its being a superpower to smaller countries like us which have no capability to fight militarily."