Chinese ships ‘standing by’ in disputed waters must leave after filing of diplomatic protest — Palace
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2019 12:01:08 +0000
HUNDREDS of Chinese vessels reportedly stationed around the Pag-asa Island in the disputed West Philippine (South China) Sea should immediately leave after the government filed a diplomatic protest, Malacanang said on Tuesday.
“We are already complaining, why are they there? Then, effectively, you are asking them to leave,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.
Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte “just listened” when he took the issue up with the Chief Executive during Monday evening’s Cabinet meeting.
“That is what the President does, when you make a report, he listens, he observes. If he will tell you anything later, he will say it. He is not risky with his words,” he said.
Lt. Col. Elpidio Factor of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command said previously that about 600 Chinese vessels were circling the island, and were considered as maritime militia.
Factor said that the ships were “occasionally complemented by Chinese Coast Guard vessels to sustain China’s assertive presence in the vicinity of the sandbars.”
While the military confirmed the presence of these Chinese vessels, Panelo said that Vice Admiral Rene Medina of the Western Command assured the Palace that there were only 275.
He also said that contrary to the previous report, the Chinese vessels were not “circling,” but only standing by.
“If they are circling, they are planning something. But, if you are only stationary, maybe you are just watching,” Panelo said.
Panelo also clarified that the diplomatic protest, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., was “on the way.” RALPH EDWIN U. VILLANUEVA
The post Chinese ships ‘standing by’ in disputed waters must leave after filing of diplomatic protest — Palace appeared first on The Manila Times Online.