The Philippines’ top diplomat yesterday unambiguously told Beijing where to go, as the government said Chinese vessels were still illegally lingering in the disputed South China Sea.
“China, my friend, how politely can I put it? Let me see... O... GET THE FUCK OUT,” Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin wrote on Twitter.
The latest spat between Manila and Beijing over the resource-rich waters — which China claims almost entirely — flared up in March after hundreds of Chinese boats were spotted inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Photo: EPA-EFE
China has refused repeated calls from the Philippines to withdraw the boats, and tensions have intensified as Manila steps up maritime patrols in the area.
Locsin frequently uses strong language on Twitter and defended his latest outburst by saying: “Usual suave diplomatic speak gets nothing done.”
He also likened China to “an ugly oaf forcing your attentions on a handsome guy who wants to be a friend.”
The order came as the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs accused China’s coast guard of “belligerent actions” against Philippine boats involved in maritime drills near the contested Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島), which is also claimed by Taiwan.
China-controlled Scarborough is one of the region’s richest fishing grounds and a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing, which have rival claims.
The department said it has lodged a diplomatic protest over the Chinese vessels’ actions toward the Southeast Asian country’s coast guard during patrols and training exercises near the reef last month.
The department said the presence of the Chinese boats was a “blatant infringement of Philippine sovereignty.”
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