Pinabulaanan ng Chinese Embassy ang presensya ng militia sa West PH Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Itinanggi ng embahada ng Tsina sa Pilipinas ang presensya ng lagpas 200 Chinese militia vessels sa Julian Felipe Reef na sakop ng West Philippine Sea.

Ayon sa embahada na ang mga ito ay fishing vessel lamang at walang dahilan para magdulot ng espikulasyon at “unnecessary irritation.”

“Niu’e Jiao (Julian Felipe Reef) is a part of China’s Nansha Qundao,” ayon sa pahayag na nakapost sa Facebook na pinatutungkulan ang administrative district na binuo ng Beijing sa South China Sea. “Chinese fishing vessels have been fishing in its adjacent waters for many years.”

“Recently, some Chinese fishing vessels take shelter near Niu’e Jiao due to rough sea conditions,” dagdag pa ng pahayag. “It has been a normal practice for Chinese fishing vessels to take shelter under such circumstances. There is no Chinese Maritime Militia as alleged. Any speculation in such helps nothing but causes unnecessary irritation. It is hoped that the situation could be handled in an objective and rational manner.”

Linggo nang magsampa ng diplomatic protest si Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ukol sa nasabing insidente.

Ang Julian Felipe Reef ay pasok sa Exclusive Economic Zone na inaangkin ng Tsina at Vietnam pero sa kinikilala ng arbitral tribunal sa The Hague na pagmamay-ari ng Pilipinas.

Article: REMATE