Philippines summons Chinese envoy over lingering ships in West PH Sea
Apr 13, 2021 3:23 PM PHT
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, April 13, said Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian had been summoned over the “illegal lingering presence” of Beijing’s ships in the West Philippine Sea
Huang, the DFA said, had been called in on Monday, April 12, where the Philippines expressed to him its “utmost displeasure” over the continuing presence of its ships around Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) and other maritime zones in Philippine waters.
This is the first time Huang had been summoned after assuming his role as Beijing’s envoy to the Philippines in December 2019. It comes as tensions increased amid a renewed push by the Philippines to publicly challenge China’s aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea, the part of the South China Sea that belongs to Filipinos.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario on Tuesday said the lingering of Chinese vessels at Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) in the West Philippine Sea is an “open and continuing violation of our laws.”
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario
Del Rosario made this stat
China insists ships won t permanently stay at Julian Felipe Reef By CONSUELO MARQUEZ, GMA News
Published April 7, 2021 11:48pm Chinese Foreign Ministry has bared that its 44 vessels will not permanently stay at the Julian Felipe Reef as it also dismissed Philippines negative influence on the matter. I believe I ve just made it very clear. China has no such plan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in his daily briefing on April 6, Tuesday after a reporter asked if the Chinese vessels will maintain a permanent presence at the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef). The spokesperson also denied claims that the vessels were manned by maritime militia, saying it showed malicious intent.
It reiterated Lorenzana’s demand for China to “immediately withdraw” its remaining ships in the vicinity of the Julian Felipe Reef and other adjacent features In the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS. (File photo: PTV News/Website)
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday “strongly” denounced the Chinese embassy in Manila for calling “unprofessional” the statement of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on the presence of Chinese ships off the Juan Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“The DFA strongly denounces the Embassy’s attempt to impugn the Secretary of National Defense a Cabinet Official of the Republic of the Philippines by calling his statement ‘unprofessional,’” the DFA said in a statement.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian s Regular Press Conference on April 6, 2021
2021/04/06
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ver the last year
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