The country s foreign affairs chief orders the firing of another diplomatic protest against China after 287 of its vessels were spotted still in Palawan s Kalayaan town in the West Philippine Sea.
287 Chinese militia vessels spotted across Kalayaan waters task force
Published May 12, 2021 1:40pm
Updated May 12, 2021 2:13pm
File photo Close to 300 Chinese militia vessels were seen scattered over various features of Kalayaan municipality in Palawan, a government task force on West Philippine Sea said Wednesday, citing results of a May 9 maritime patrol. In a statement reporting the results of the patrol conducted by Area Task Force - West, the National Task Force on West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said 287 Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels were seen in Kalayaan waters both within and outside the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Bigger groupings of CMMs were sighted at the artificial islands of China while some where observed near islands occupied by the Philippines, it said.
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Philippines Says Nearly 300 Chinese Militia Boats Spotted In Latest Maritime Patrol
As per a statement signed by NTF WPS chair and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, huge groups of CMMs were spotted at the artificial islands.
(IMAGE CREDITS: AP)
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF WPS) on Wednesday, May 12, said that a maritime patrol on Sunday, May 9 spotted the presence of 287 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels scattered over the various features of the Municipality of Kalayaan, both within and outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the country. As per a statement signed by NTF WPS chair and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, huge groups of CMMs were spotted at the artificial islands which have been built by China. Also, some were observed near islands occupied by the Philippines.
Some 287 Chinese vessels suspected to be maritime militia remain scattered over various parts of the Kalayaan town in Palawan, both within and outside the country’s exclusive economic zone, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported on Wednesday.
(Photos from National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea)
According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), the swarming of the Chinese vessels was “prejudicial to the peace and security” in the region.
“The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) denounces the continuous swarming in the WPS by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Maritime Militia which are claimed by Chinese authorities to be ordinary fishing vessels,” it said in a statement.
“The Philippine government reiterates its demand upon China to withdraw all its vessels from the Municipality of Kalayaan and the Philippine EEZ (exclusive economic zone),” said the task force chaired by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.