Philippines quietly protests China's weapons installation on islands with a ‘note verbale’

The Philippines has filed a low-key diplomatic protest with China after a US think thank reported that Beijing appears to have installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on its man-made islands in the strategically vital South China Sea, the country’s top diplomat said Monday.

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said a note verbale was issued after the report came out last month.

Yasay told CNN Philippines that Manila had responded, but did so quietly.

“We have taken action on that, we have issued a note verbale,” he said, referring to a diplomatic communication that is issued in the third person and is not signed. It is less formal than a diplomatic note.

He did not say when it was issued, adding it was a matter that he did not want to discuss.