Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over navy ship’s ‘intrusion’

MANILA, March 14 (Reuters) – The Philippines summoned China’s ambassador on Monday to elucidate what it known as the “unlawful intrusion and lingering presence” of a Chinese language navy vessel in waters between a number of the archipelago nation’s largest islands.

The international ministry in a press release mentioned a Chinese language navy reconnaissance ship entered Philippine waters with out permission and lingered from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, ignoring repeated calls for to go away.

It was detected off the Cuyo Group of Islands, near Palawan, and Apo island off Mindoro, a presence the ministry mentioned “didn’t represent harmless passage and violated Philippine sovereignty”.

China has been accused by Western international locations of aggression by deploying a whole lot of coast guard and fishing vessels within the unique financial zones of its neighbours and disrupting fisheries and power exploration work, far off its mainland.

The deployment of army vessels in waters to which China has no claims is uncommon, nevertheless. China’s embassy in Manila didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The Philippines international ministry didn’t say why it waited six weeks to report the incident. The defence minister didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Regardless of efforts to construct nearer ties with China, the Philippines has change into extra vital of its actions, together with what it calls “swarming” by fishing vessels manned by militias off the disputed Spratly islands, and its blockade of a army resupply mission.

The final time a Chinese language ambassador was summoned was in April final yr. learn extra

China’s international minister Wang Yi in January mentioned Beijing wouldn’t use its energy to “bully” its smaller neighbours. learn extra

Reporting by Karen Lema; Enhancing by Martin Petty

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