As concern over China mounts, Duterte orders navy to build ‘structures’ east of Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the navy to put up “structures” to assert sovereignty over a stretch of water east of the country where Manila reported a Chinese survey ship casing the area last year.

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing after the vessel was tracked moving back and forth over Benham Rise, a vast area east of the country declared by the UN in 2012 as part of the Philippines’ continental shelf. According to the Philippines, Benham Rise is rich in biodiversity and fish stocks.

China’s foreign ministry on Friday said the ship was engaged in “normal freedom of navigation and right of innocent passage” and nothing more.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Duterte’s instruction was to increase naval patrols in that area and put up structures “that says this is ours”. He did not specify what structures would be erected.

“We are concerned, they have no business going there,” Lorenzana told reporters on Sunday.