Philippines lodges protest over China’s ‘illegal’ South China Sea presence and activities

Manila is demanding the withdrawal of Chinese vessels from the area around Thitu island in the disputed Spratly chain

Relations between the two countries have been damaged by the months long presence of fishing boats and other ships in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone

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Philippine coastguard personnel survey Chinese ships in Sabina Shoal. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:40pm, 29 May 2021Updated: 9:11pm, 29 May 2021

The Philippines has lodged a protest over China’s continuing “illegal presence and activities” near an island in the South China Sea held by the Southeast Asian nation, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Manila lodged the diplomatic protest on Friday over the “incessant deployment, prolonged presence, and illegal activities of Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels” in the vicinity of Thitu island. It demanded that China withdraw the vessels.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours.

Tensions between Manila and Beijing have escalated over the months-long presence of hundreds of Chinese boats in the Philippine 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines says it believes the vessels were manned by militias, while Beijing has said they were fishing boats sheltering from bad weather.

“The Pag-asa Islands is an integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

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