More than 200 Chinese ships have been spotted near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Jhongye Island, 中業島) in the South China Sea since the start of the year, triggering a diplomatic protest from the Philippines.
The fishing vessels stationed near the disputed island are likely part of China’s sea militia, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said at a briefing yesterday, citing information from the military.
He said he was set to meet China’s ambassador to Manila and ask about the bolstered Chinese presence in the area, after the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department issued a protest.
Philippine soldiers would continue their patrols in the disputed area, military chief General Benjamin Madrigal Jr told reporters separately, adding that Chinese fishing vessels have repeatedly been spotted near the island.
“This is a concern not only for the military, but for other agencies as well, including the coast guard. We are looking for ways to address this,” he told reporters on the sidelines of opening ceremonies for annual joint Philippines US military drills.
He urged a panel with representatives from both nations tasked with resolving South China Sea disputes to address Chinese presence in the area.
China’s ministries of foreign affairs and national defense did not immediately reply to faxed requests for comment.
Jhongye, which Manila calls “Pagasa,” is the second-biggest of the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島).
Manila last year started building a ramp on the island and plans to extend a runway there.
The area, which lies 480km west of the Philippines’ Palawan province, is also claimed by Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
More than 7,000 soldiers from the Philippines and the US are participating in this year’s military drills, Madrigal said.
The drills known as Exercise Balikatan, meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder,” also include a small Australian contingent.
Additional reporting by AP
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