Advertisement
Chinese floating barrier at South China Sea flashpoint was ‘necessary’, Beijing says
- Foreign ministry confirms barrier set up at disputed Scarborough Shoal to ‘safeguard sovereignty’
- Philippine coastguard had also accused Chinese authorities of ‘blocking’ a government ship in the area
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
88
China on Monday said it was “necessary” to set up a floating barrier at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, where it has had frequent flare-ups with Philippine forces.
Asked about new satellite images of the barrier blocking the entrance of the shoal’s lagoon, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the shoal, called Huangyan Island in Chinese, was the country’s “inherent territory”.
“Recently, the Philippine side has taken a series of actions which violate China’s sovereignty,” Mao said in Beijing.
Advertisement
“China has to take the necessary measures to firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
In a statement on Sunday, the Philippine coastguard accused Chinese coastguard vessels of deploying a floating barrier at the mouth of the lagoon, and conducting “blocking manoeuvres” about 1.3 nautical miles from the shoal last Tuesday during a patrol by a vessel from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which also transported fuel to Filipino fishermen.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x