China, Philippines locked in naval standoff

[Monseratto]

This... named after a brave but doomed national hero




Vs.





over this...

Hong Kong (CNN) -- The Philippines said Wednesday that its largest naval vessel is engaged in a standoff with two Chinese maritime surveillance ships in a remote lagoon in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the country's navy had sent the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a 378-foot cutter, to the area of Scarborough Shoal on Sunday after surveillance aircraft spotted eight Chinese fishing boats anchored inside the lagoon.

China and the Philippines both claim that Scarborough Shoal, about 200 kilometers west of the Philippine mainland, is "an integral part" of their territory.

A boarding team from the Gregorio del Pilar went to inspect the Chinese fishing boats Tuesday morning and found "large amounts of illegally collected corals, giant clams and live sharks" inside one of the boats, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Later Tuesday, the Gregorio del Pilar reported that the two Chinese surveillance ships had arrived and taken up a position at the mouth of the lagoon, blocking the way to the fishing boats and "preventing the arrest" of the fishermen. The situation remained the same Wednesday morning, the Philippine statement said.

The Philippine foreign minister, Albert Del Rosario, is seeking a "diplomatic solution" to the situation with China, the statement said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has complained to the Philippine authorities about "the harassment of Chinese fishermen," China's official news agency reported Wednesday.

China has "urged the Philippine side to stop immediately their illegal activities and leave the area," Xinhua reported, saying that the fishermen were taking shelter in the lagoon "due to harsh weather conditions."

The embassy is "still engaged in discussions with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to seek a solution" and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Xinhua said.

[Monseratto]

China Tells Philippines To Quit Huangyan Island

(RTTNews) - China on Wednesday urged the Philippines to stop all "illegal activities" in the lagoon surrounding its Huangyan Island in the South China Sea and leave the region immediately. The Chinese Embassy in Manila lodged a protest with the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department on the "harassment" of Chinese fishermen by the Philippine Navy in the lagoon, the Embassy said in a statement.

The Embassy reiterated China's sovereignty over Huangyan Island, and urged the Philippine side to stop immediately their "illegal activities" and leave the area.

It said 12 Chinese fishing boats, seeking shelter from bad weather, on Tuesday were prevented from entering the lagoon by a Philippine Naval gunboat which also deployed 12 soldiers, six of them armed, to harass the Chinese fishermen.

Two Chinese Marine Surveillance ships were in the area when the incident took place, fulfilling the duties of safeguarding Chinese national maritime rights and interests, it said.

The Embassy reiterated that Huangyan Island is an integral part of the Chinese territory and the waters around it is the traditional fishing area of Chinese fishermen, for which China has "abundant historical and jurisprudence backings."

Since ancient times, numerous documents on Chinese history have written down that Huangyan Island is a Chinese territory. "The fact that China has sovereign rights and exercises jurisdiction over the Huangyan Island is widely respected by the international community," China's Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

The Embassy said it was still engaged in discussions with the Philippines Foreign Affairs Department to seek a solution to the issue, so that China-Philippine friendly relations and peace, stability in South China Sea were well preserved in the best interest of both the countries.

by RTT Staff Writer

[chua_riwap]

ito namang china namba-barako eh......
so what's next?

[hein]

Pina-alis kasi mga Kano.

Tuloy, hindi maka-hirit mga Pinoy.

Dati hindi makalapit mga Chinese, pinapaalis agad

[Walter]

It's a stand off? One can easily pulverize the other.

[oliver1013]

Eto ba yung sa zambales? May nabasa ako sa zambales..kung zambales nga yan sobrang lapit na niyan ah...

[Monseratto]

The two Chinese coastal vessels appears to be unarmed.

[111prez]

our country is so helpless

first, north korea launches a rocket and japan, taiwan and south korea are ready with their anti=missle batteries

the philippines tells its citizens to evacuate the possible fall out site

seocnd, china protects its illegal fishing vessels with two ships and can send more bigger warships if necessary

the philippines can only muster one second hand US bought vessel. the philippines can only send WW2 vessels as support

what is next?

[Ry_Tower]

Eto ba yung sa zambales? May nabasa ako sa zambales..kung zambales nga yan sobrang lapit na niyan ah...

Yup, the shoal is just 124 N.miles from Zambales.

Stand-off kasi nakulong sa shoal yung 11 chinese vessels. Nagpapalipas lang sana dahil masama panahon pero mukhang makakaalis na din. Humingi ng resbak yung GdP boat eh. Red alert ngayon Wescom.

[oliver1013]

Wala pa bang rally ang mga militanteng grupo sa chinese embassy? Sobrang lapit na niyan

Before you know it kanila rin ang corregidor kasi diyan umebek si limahong