MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed another diplomatic protest against China as the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) continues to increase.
Foreign Affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ordered the filing of the protest on Wednesday after the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported on Tuesday that 240 Chinese ships were found in various parts of the West Philippine Sea.
“Changing my policy of acting only on NTF requests. @DFAPHL FIRE A DIPLOMATIC PROTEST NOW,” Locsin wrote on his Twitter account.
According to the NTF-WPS, these vessels were scattered in the waters of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan and in the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Of the 240 ships, 136 were at Burgos Reef, nine in Julian Felipe Reef, 65 at Chigua Reef, six at Panganiban Reef, three at Zamora Reef, four at Pag-asa Island, one at Likas Island, five at Kota Island, and 11 were at the Ayungin Shoal.
The country’s sovereignty patrols also spotted the following Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels – two Houbei class missile warships at Panganiban Reef, 1 Corvette class warship at Kagitingan Reef, and one navy tugboat at Zamora Reef. Two Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were also seen in the waters of Pag-asa Islands.
Furthermore, the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported two PLAN, three CCG, and 10 maritime militia vessels at the Scarborough Shoal.
On Monday, the country summoned China’s envoy Huang Xilian over the “illegal lingering presence” of the Chinese vessels in the Philippine Waters./PN
