Philippines replaces military commander overseeing South China Sea forces

Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jnr will replace Vice-Admiral Alberto Carlos as chief of the Western Command on Palawan island, which is the closest Philippine landmass to the hotly contested Spratly Islands.

The military said in a statement the move was part of “ongoing changes in leadership and key positions within the military which is necessary for the institution to adapt to evolving security environment and effectively address emerging challenges”.

It follows a series of incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels near disputed reefs in the South China Sea that have strained diplomatic ties.

These have included water cannon attacks by China coastguard vessels as well as minor collisions in recent months that Manila says damaged Philippine boats and injured several soldiers.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.