Philippines Decries New Row in South China Sea Dispute
Manila. The Philippines said on Tuesday that it had filed a new protest against China in their increasingly bitter dispute over the South China Sea, this time for allegedly harassing an archaeological research boat.
The protest was over an incident at Scarborough Shoal, the same area of the sea where Chinese vessels blocked a Philippine warship from arresting the crew of eight Chinese fishing boats this month, the government said.
“We lodged the protest yesterday afternoon” with the Chinese ambassador in Manila, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
“The harassment of the vessel is part of the continued intrusion and illegal activities being done by China in our area.”
He said the Philippine-registered M/Y Saranggani was “harassed by Chinese ships and aircraft” while on Scarborough, which is about 230 kilometers from the western coast of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon.
Hernandez said the Saranggani was manned by scientists.
No other details were available about their research and when they specifically arrived in the area, but Hernandez said the research boat was still there.
China claims all of the South China Sea as its own on alleged historical grounds, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
The rival claims have been a source of regional tensions for decades, although the Philippines and Vietnam have accused China in the past year of becoming increasingly aggressive in asserting its position.
Agence France-Presse
Philippines Decries New Row in South China Sea Dispute | The Jakarta Globe
Someone please describe the whole fuss in easy words for us (Outsiders) to understand. What I have understood as yet is that India Veitnam Philipinnes trying to drill oil or other N. Resources from south China sea and China is warning them not to do so. Is that correct. Describe the whole stuff please.
