Philippines protests “illegal” presence of South China Sea China’s southern Chinese maritime news

Manila has launched a diplomatic protest against the “continuous and prolonged” presence of Chinese ships near the Thitu Islands.

The Philippines has protested China’s “illegal presence and ongoing activities” near its islands in the South China Sea.

In one statement on Saturday, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had made a diplomatic protest around the islands of Thitu or Pag-asa against “continued expansion, long presence and illegal activities of Chinese marine assets and fishing vessels”.

Beijing demanded the withdrawal of its ships from the area: “The island of Pag-asa is a component of the Philippines and has its sovereignty and jurisdiction.”

No immediate comment was made in Beijing.

The latest request is at least the 84th diplomatic protest filed by the Philippines against China since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.

It comes in between increasing tensions the presence of hundreds of Chinese ships in the exclusive 200-mile economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines. Manila says the vessels were run by militias, while Beijing said they were fishing boats protected from bad weather.

Thitu or Pag-asa is 451 miles off the coast of the Philippines. The island is the largest of the eight reefs, baskets and islands in the Spratly archipelago controls.

Just 25 kilometers away, on the Reef of Subi, China has built a mini-city with runways, hangars and surface-to-air missiles.

In 2016, an international tribunal overturned China’s claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing ignored the decision.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also compete with various surrounding islands and features.