Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) — The Philippines summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and filed a diplomatic protest following China’s series of aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) over the weekend, with one Filipino vessel suffering “serious engine damage,” a government official said Monday.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said the national government continues to explore “all forms of diplomatic actions available” to protect and uphold the country’s legal maritime rights in the disputed waters.
“We lodged the diplomatic protest with the Chinese foreign ministry counterpart through a phone call,” she added.
Daza noted that this was the fourth time Chinese vessels blasted water cannons on Philippine ships.
READ: PH vessel suffers ‘serious engine damage’ in new water cannon incident in WPS
The water cannon incidents happened last weekend in the waters of Ayungin Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc, parts of the WPS being claimed by Beijing.
“We will continue to call on China to be a responsible member of the international community,” Daza said.
According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, China deployed 46 vessels to block Philippine ships.
“It is the largest number of maritime forces that we have documented so far in the previous months,” he said.
