Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said yesterday the Philippines is “firing off” another diplomatic protest against China in connection with the presence of two Chinese research vessels in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
“Okay, got it, General. @DFAPHL firing off diplomatic protest,” Locsin said in a post on Twitter.
Locsin’s reaction came after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana questioned the activities of the Chinese research vessels and warships in the country’s EEZ.
Prior to this, American Assistant Professor Ryan Martinson of the China Maritime Studies Institute of Naval War College revealed that a Chinese oceanographic survey ship “Zhanjian” was spotted in the Philippine east coast on Aug. 3. Martinson claimed that the location of the Chinese vessel was just 75 nautical miles away from the Philippine coast.
Another Chinese survey vessel, “Dong Fang Hong 3” was also sighted in the Philippine waters.
Last June, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing over the ramming of a Filipino fishing boat at Reed Bank. It was followed last month by another protest concerning the “swarming” of Chinese vessels within the country’s EEZ in the South China Sea.
Malacanang had earlier announced that President Duterte will visit China this month to raise the arbitration ruling with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Roy Mabasa)
