Manila sends patrol ships to guard reef

The Philippines has deployed extra vessels to patrol the South China Sea where Chinese ships had been spotted at a disputed reef as tensions deepen between the two nations.

Four Philippine Navy ships have been sent to back up Coast Guard and fishing vessels at Whitsun Reef, Reed Bank and the Spratly Islands, the South China Sea task force said in a statement on Monday.

“Sea assets are and shall be continuously deployed to different areas” for patrol, the statement added.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs summoned China’s Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian on Monday to express “displeasure over the illegal lingering presence” of Chinese vessels in Whitsun Reef, the agency said in an official statement released yesterday.

Tensions between the Philippines and China have been rising since more than 200 Chinese vessels were seen moored at Whitsun Reef — within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone — on March 7, with the Southeast Asian nation later warning of a barrage of diplomatic protests if Beijing did not remove its ships.

The US also earlier aired concerns over China’s “maritime militia” in the area.

Beijing had said the boats were sheltering from the wind and described the US characterisation of the fishing boats as “maritime militia” as ill-intentioned, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian telling a regular briefing in Beijing on April 9 the craft were normal and legitimate.

An armed Chinese Navy vessel was also reported last week to have chased down a civilian craft carrying a Filipino news crew in the area.

US defence and diplomatic officials have discussed recent South China Sea incidents with their Philippine counterparts, as the longtime allies resumed military drills and discussed ways to expedite coronavirus vaccine shipments.