MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — A Philippine air force jet is conducting daily patrols over Chinese fishing vessels parked near a disputed reef, the defence chief said, as Beijing refuses to pull the ships out of the area. Around 220 boats were first spotted earlier this month at the boomerang-shaped Whitsun Reef around 320 kilometres (175 nautical miles) west of Palawan Island, sparking a diplomatic row. Manila has ordered Beijing to recall the vessels, describing […]
Tag: Chinese ships
Malacanang “concerned” about Chinese ships’ presence in Benham Rise
(Eagle News) — Malacañang said it was concerned with the reported presence of Chinese survey ships at Benham Rise in the Pacific and Reed Bank in the South China Sea. “We are concerned about the presence of a Chinese ship in Benham Rise, which has been recognized by the United Nations as part of the Philippines,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.. The Department of National Defense has already notified the […]
Philippines releases photos of China’s alleged secret island building
VIENTIANE, Laos (AFP) — The Philippines released photos Wednesday to back its claims that China had secretly begun work to cement control over a crucial shoal in the hotly contested South China Sea. The release of the images, which claimed to show Chinese ships preparing to build an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, came hours ahead of a meeting between Southeast Asian leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Laos. China this week insisted it […]
DFA confirms Chinese ships left disputed sea
MANILa, Philippines — The Philippines confirmed Thursday that Chinese Coast Guard ships had left an area in the disputed South China Sea, but stressed the ships’ recent presence in the region may be used to bolster its arbitration case against Beijing in a ruling expected to be handed down in May. In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said defense authorities reported seeing the ships at the Quirino or Jackson atolls two weeks ago […]





