Philippines says China sending more ships to shoal
Posted: 23 May 2012 1549 hrs
Chinese surveillance ships off Scarborough Shoal in April 2012. (AFP/DFA - Philippine Navy)
MANILA: China has deployed more government ships and fishing boats to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea amid a tense stand-off with Manila, the Philippine foreign department said Wednesday.
As of Monday night, there were five Chinese government vessels and 16 fishing boats in the area, along with 56 dinghies used by the fishermen to collect fish in shallow waters, Hernandez said.
Two Philippine government vessels monitoring Chinese activity previously reported only three Chinese government vessels near the Scarborough Shoal.
Manila had lodged a fresh protest with the Chinese embassy over the build-up near the shoal, department spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
"The Philippines, therefore, demands that China's vessels immediately pull out from Bajo de Masinloc and the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Hernandez said, referring to the shoal's local name.
Chinese embassy officials were not immediately available to comment.
Posted: 23 May 2012 1549 hrs
Chinese surveillance ships off Scarborough Shoal in April 2012. (AFP/DFA - Philippine Navy)
MANILA: China has deployed more government ships and fishing boats to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea amid a tense stand-off with Manila, the Philippine foreign department said Wednesday.
As of Monday night, there were five Chinese government vessels and 16 fishing boats in the area, along with 56 dinghies used by the fishermen to collect fish in shallow waters, Hernandez said.
Two Philippine government vessels monitoring Chinese activity previously reported only three Chinese government vessels near the Scarborough Shoal.
Manila had lodged a fresh protest with the Chinese embassy over the build-up near the shoal, department spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
"The Philippines, therefore, demands that China's vessels immediately pull out from Bajo de Masinloc and the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Hernandez said, referring to the shoal's local name.
Chinese embassy officials were not immediately available to comment.