(Eagle News)–The Palace on Tuesday, May 21, said the report by an American think-tank that said Chinese clam-harvesting fleets have returned to the South China Sea still needs to be validated.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, this was the “first time he has ever heard of the information.”
“.. I suppose the Western Command should make a validation of that and then refer it to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for whatever action the department may take on that issue,” Panelo said.
The Palace had said the Philippines had filed a diplomatic protest over China’s harvesting of the clams in the disputed area.
In its report, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said the fleets have returned “in force” over the last six months after a drop-off in activity from 2016 to late 2018.
“AMTI has not found clear evidence of new clam harvesting in the Spratly Islands. But on April 7, during the same period that Chinese maritime militia vessels were clustering around Philippine-occupied Loaita Island and Loita Cay, a mothership and a number of small boats were present at nearby Lankiam Cay,” AMTI said.
