MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines has expressed concern over hundreds of Chinese military ships it said were seen this month in the South China Sea dispute, the latest example of crucial waterway tension.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported that about 220 ships, believed to be equipped by Chinese naval militia personnel, were seen anchored in line formation at a reef on March 7, an intergovernmental working group said on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin, when asked if he would file a diplomatic protest over the presence of the ships, told a journalist on Twitter: “Only if the generals tell me. In my view, foreign policy is the fist in the iron glove of the armed forces. ”
The National Working Group for the Western Philippine Sea has expressed concern about overfishing and the destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to the safety of navigation.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday, and calls to the Chinese embassy in Manila seeking comments went unanswered.
In 2016, an international tribunal invalidated China’s claim to 90% of the South China Sea, but Beijing does not recognize the ruling. China in recent years has built islands in disputed waters, putting air bands on some of them.
Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of the sea.
In January, the Philippines protested a new Chinese law allowing its coastguard to fire on foreign ships, describing it as a “threat of war.”
The United States has repeatedly denounced what it called China’s attempts to intimidate neighbors with competing interests, while Beijing has criticized Washington for what it calls meddling in its internal affairs.
The Chinese ships were at Julian Felipe Reef, also called Whitsun Reef, in the exclusive economic zone of Manila, the working group said, describing the site as “a large shallow, boomerang-shaped coral reef in the north. east of the banks and reefs of Pagkakaisa “
“Despite the clear weather at the time, Chinese vessels gathered at the reef showed no real fishing activity and had their full white lights on at night,” a statement said.
The Philippines has vowed to monitor the situation and “peacefully and proactively pursue its initiatives on environmental protection, food security and freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea.
Enrico Dela Cruz’s report to Manila; Additional reports from Yilei Sun and Ryan Woo in Beijing; Mountainous of William Mallard