Amid international concern over the build-up of Chinese vessels around Ngau Yoke Reef in the South China Sea, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to protect Philippine maritime territory during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador, his spokesman said on March 25.
The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest against the massive and threatening influx of more than 200 Chinese fishing boats believed to be crewed by Chinese maritime militia that have gathered around Ngau Yoke Reef in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Asked about the Philippine-China meeting during a regular press conference, Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque said, “The president said we are really concerned. Any country would be worried about that number of ships.”
The United States, Japan and Canada have also expressed concern about the Chinese ships.
Roque said Duterte again stressed to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian the Philippines’ victory in the famous South China Sea arbitration case in 2016. The then Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled in favor of the Philippines back in 2016 in a pronouncement on the Philippines’ complaint against China’s nine-dash line claim as a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The court ruled that China’s claim of sovereignty over 90 percent of the South China Sea, based on the nine-dashed line, was invalid. Trade through the South China Sea amounts to at least $3.4 trillion annually.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on 24th that some Chinese fishing boats were sheltering near Ngau Yoke Reef due to sea conditions. A Philippine military spokesman said the Chinese military attaché denied that there were militiamen on board.
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