The Philippines has called on Beijing to abandon "escalating actions" in the disputed Scarborough Shoal area in the South China Sea, "Reuters" reported. Manila lodged a protest against the presence of the Chinese coast guard, navy and militia in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), quoted by News.bg.
The protest is based on the fact that two Chinese coast guard ships, one of which is a 166-meter vessel known as "the monster", were spotted in the disputed region on January 5 and 10. A Chinese navy helicopter was also spotted in the area.
The Philippine National Maritime Council strongly condemned the actions, saying they "disregard Philippine and international laws". The body urged Beijing to recall its ships and refrain from illegal actions that violate the Philippines' sovereign rights in its EEZ.
In response, China's Foreign Ministry defended its "patrol and law enforcement activities", describing them as "reasonable, legal and impeccable". The ministry spokesman also insisted that "the Philippines should stop its malicious hysteria".
Tensions between the two countries, allies of the US, have been rising in recent years, with frequent clashes in the region. The South China Sea is a strategic waterway with an estimated $3 trillion in trade annually.
China's sweeping claims, based on historical maps, overlap the exclusive economic zones of several countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. In 2016, the International Court of Arbitration ruled that Beijing's claims were without legal basis - a ruling that China refuses to recognize.