Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 30)— The country’s top diplomat has ordered the filing of more diplomatic protests against China amid its continued presence and activities in the West Philippine Sea.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. instructed the department to file protests over the following:
— the continued presence of Chinese fishing vessels in the vicinity of Iroquois Reef;
— Beijing’s “incessant and unlawful restriction of Filipino fishermen from conducting legitimate fishing activities in Bajo de Masinloc”; and
— Chinese radio challenges unlawfully issued against Philippine maritime patrols.
No further details were provided about the protests.
Locsin’s move comes after the National Security Council (NSC) revealed on Wednesday that the government has monitored some 150 Chinese vessels in Philippine waters.
In a House hearing, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon — citing information from the NSC — said Beijing’s maritime ships have been “doing fishing operations” and “moving from one spot to another.”
The Philippines has filed a flurry of diplomatic protests against the East Asian giant over the past months, as the government continues to assert its 2016 arbitral victory in the South China Sea case.
