Despite the fact that Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has alienated the U.S. and pro-Communist countries since taking office, and shelved the South China Sea arbitration case that his predecessor struggled to win, relations with China have not been smooth. Chinese ships have attacked Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea, and after the Philippine warplanes were deployed, they excused the need to anchor in bad weather. In response, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said earlier in the day, “I am not a fool! and asked the Chinese ships to “get out now!”
CNN reports that in a strongly worded statement issued earlier today, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana protested to Chinese Communist Party Ambassador Huang Xilian that some 44 Chinese vessels are still moored at Julian Felipe Reef after the Philippine government requested their evacuation.
On March 20, the West Philippine Sea Country Task Force reported that there were more than 200 Chinese vessels in the area. The Chinese government said they were seeking refuge only because of “bad sea conditions,” but air and sea patrols this week showed that 44 ships were still there, and more than 200 ships were in various reefs in the Calayan group of islands.
I’m not a fool,” Lorenzana said. … So far the weather has been good, so they have no other reason to stay there.”
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