Philippine Boats Sail Towards Disputed Reef Despite China Warning
Sumaira FH Published May 15, 2024 | 10:33 PM
15th May, 2024) Civilians on board Philippine fishing boats sailed Wednesday towards a China-controlled reef off the Southeast Asian country, ignoring a warning by Beijing
SOUTH CHINA SEA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2024) Civilians on board Philippine fishing boats sailed Wednesday towards a China-controlled reef off the Southeast Asian country, ignoring a warning by Beijing.
The trip to distribute help to Filipino fishermen and assert their rights to the disputed waterway comes two weeks after China Coast Guard vessels used water cannon against two Philippine government boats near Scarborough Shoal.
Waving small national flags and chanting "the Philippines is ours, China out!", about 200 people boarded five commercial fishing vessels that sailed out of a northern port in the morning, escorted by several outrigger boats.
Three China Coast Guard vessels began shadowing the convoy at dusk as it moved closer to the shoal, issuing warnings that the participants heard on the boats' radios, a convoy spokesman told reporters.
"Atin Ito will STILL proceed with its voyage," convoy spokesman Emman Hizon wrote in a text to journalists using a local social media app.
This is the second civilian convoy organised by the Atin Ito group, whose name is Tagalog for "This is Ours".
Hours earlier in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin asserted China's "indisputable sovereignty" over the shoal and warned Manila against actions that infringe on this position.
"China will lawfully safeguard its rights and take countermeasures," Wang told reporters, and "responsibility and consequences will be borne entirely by the Philippines".
Wang commented on the trip after the convoy, escorted by one Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel, handed out fuel and bags of groceries to Filipino fishermen along the way and dropped a dozen orange buoys marked "WPS is Ours".
WPS is the acronym for the West Philippine Sea, Manila's name for the South China Sea waters immediately west of the country.
"The Chinese drove us away. That always happens whenever we try to go to Scarborough Shoal. They always drive us away," fisherman Jay-ar Hilig told AFP as he waited for his turn to receive diesel fuel and a plastic grocery bag.
"This is for the Chinese to see that we Filipinos are united in wanting to take back Scarborough Shoal," added fellow fisherman Luis Pontillas.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Missing Kashmiri Poet, Journalist Ahmed Farhad found in AJK police custody: IHC ..
Petrol prices expected to decrease from June 1
ECB enhances security for Pakistan cricket team in the UK
UHS bars medical colleges from Imposing fines on students
Janhvi Kapoor refutes marriage rumors with Shikhar Pahariya
At least 28 die in Balochistan's Washuk bus accident
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 29 May 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 29 May 2024
NAB raids Malik Riaz's Bahria Town Rawalpindi office
‘Govt can boost revenues by 40 billion with optimized Tobacco Taxation’
Nawaz Sharif says they are of May 28, and not of May 9
Nawaz Sharif again elected unopposed as PML-N president
More Stories From World
-
China worlds number one in flower, plant production scale: Survey
2 minutes ago -
India's capital hits record 50.5 Celsius in fierce heat wave
2 minutes ago -
EU creates 'AI Office' to regulate tech under tough new law
3 minutes ago -
Anglo American nixes BHP request to extend takeover talks
12 minutes ago -
Turkey's Erdogan says 'spirit of United Nations dead in Gaza'
13 minutes ago -
Hong Kong arrests another person under new security law
13 minutes ago
-
Turkey's Erdogan says 'spirit of United Nations dead in Gaza'
13 minutes ago -
Venezuela withdraws invitation to EU to observe July vote
23 minutes ago -
New searches at EU parliament in Russia meddling probe
53 minutes ago -
Royal Mail owner accepts Czech billionaire's takeover
1 hour ago -
BRI to bring China's Xinjiang, Pakistan together for shared development, prosperity: experts
1 hour ago -
Sweden pledges $1.25 bn in military aid to Ukraine
2 hours ago