Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 14) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to express “serious concern” over the recent actions of China against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local fishermen.
Marcos met with the envoy on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
“The president summoned [the] Chinese Ambassador [t]o express his serious concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen in their bancas, the latest of which was the deployment of a military grade laser against our Coast Guard vessels,” the PCO said in a statement.
A Chinese Coast Guard ship aimed a military grade laser at a PCG boat while the latter was on its way to send supplies to military personnel in Ayungin Shoal, authorities have reported.
The incident, which took place on Feb. 6, caused temporary blindness to PCG crew members, prompting the Philippine government to file a fresh diplomatic protest against Beijing.
It has also raised eyebrows among the international community, with some nations calling out the East Asian giant’s “provocative” action.
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China, however, defended its action, saying it was the Philippines that “intruded” into its waters. It claimed that the Ayungin Shoal — which is within Manila’s exclusive economic zone — is part of Beijing’s Nansha Islands.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Manila, in a separate statement, also confirmed the meeting between the two officials.
“They exchanged views on how to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen dialogue and communication, and properly manage maritime differences between China and the Philippines,” it said.
