Philippines protests Chinese ships in South China Sea
The Philippines and China have been in a dispute over the South China Sea for years.
Here, Thitu Island is part of the disputed Spratly archipelago.
AFP PHOTO / POOL
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The Philippines has denounced the "illegal" presence of more than a hundred Chinese ships near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.
This was indicated by the government, in a context of tension between the two countries over this area.
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The Philippine Foreign Ministry said the boats were spotted in April near the Whitsun Reef, some 320 kilometers west of the island of Palawan.
However, he waited until Thursday to reveal that he had filed a formal complaint with the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
The two countries have had a dispute over the South China Sea for years.
Beijing claims most of it, ignoring a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which
in July 2016
found its historic claims groundless.
This incursion comes “
nearly a year after a similar incident against which the Philippine government had risen
”.
"
The persistent and unauthorized presence of Chinese fishing vessels and boats is not only illegal, but also a source of instability in the region
," said a statement from the Foreign Ministry released Thursday evening.
"
The Philippines calls on China to abide by its obligations under international law, cease and desist any illegal and irresponsible behavior, avoid any further escalation of tensions at sea, and immediately withdraw all its vessels Philippine maritime areas
,” he added.
Foreign Ministry officials declined to clarify whether the ships are still present in this area.
Already 300 diplomatic complaints issued against China
Asked by
AFP
, the Chinese embassy in Manila declined to comment.
Last year, 210 Chinese ships had been stationed near the Whitsun Reef for several weeks starting in March, according to the Philippine ministry.
Beijing had claimed they were just fishing boats taking shelter from the weather, but Manila had dismissed that explanation, saying there were no storms during the relevant period.
The
Philippines
said it has filed more than 300 diplomatic complaints about Chinese activities over the past six years.
►
To read: Seas of China: what risks of war between Beijing and Washington?
(with
AFP
)
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