MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Filipino protesters said Monday that Chinese coastguard ships blocked and sprayed them with water as they sailed to a disputed South China Sea shoal to plant a Philippine flag for independence day. China claims most of the strategic and resources-rich sea and has controlled Scarborough Shoal, just 230 kilometres (145 miles) off the main Philippine island of Luzon, since a 2012 standoff with the Philippine Navy. The Kalayaan Atin Ito (Freedom […]
Tag: sailed
Japan protests as Chinese navy sails near disputed isles
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A Chinese naval ship sailed into waters surrounding disputed East China Sea islands for the first time early Thursday, prompting Tokyo to summon the Chinese ambassador to protest, the Japanese government said. Russian naval ships were also seen in the area around the same time, according to local media. “Around 00:50 am (1530 GMT Wednesday), a Chinese naval vessel entered our nation’s contiguous waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands,” the Japanese foreign […]





