Philippines alarmed after China sends ‘monster ship’ to disputed shoal
The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an "illegal presence."
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.
The move comes against the backdrop of rising tension between the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, and Beijing during the past two years, stemming from their overlapping claims in the busy waterway of the South China Sea.
The Philippines has protested this month against the entry of Chinese vessels in its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including the 541-ft-long ship 5901, last spotted 77 nautical miles off the western province of Zambales.
Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippines’ National Security Council, reiterated a call for Beijing to withdraw from Manila’s waters the “monster ship” he said was deployed to intimidate its fishermen around Scarborough Shoal.
“We were surprised about the increasing aggression being showed by the People’s Republic of China in deploying the monster ship,” Malaya told a press conference.
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