Some of the about 220 vessels reported by the Philippine Coast Guard are pictured at Whitsun Reef, South China SeaMANILA: Hundreds of Chinese vessels believed to be manned by militias in the South China Sea have spread to a wider area, the Philippines said on Wednesday , defying its demand for the flotilla to be withdrawn immediately.
The Philippines has described the presence of the boats inside its 200-mile exclusive economic zone at Whitsun Reef as"swarming and threatening", while Canada, Australia, the US, Japan and others have voiced concern about China's intentions, prompting rebukes by Beijing.READ: Philippines sends fighter aircraft over Chinese vessels in South China Sea
In a statement, the Philippines' task force on the South China Sea expressed"deep concern over the continuing unlawful presence of the Chinese maritime militia, which did not pull out." "Neither the Philippines nor the international community will ever accept China's assertion of its so-called 'indisputable integrated sovereignty' over almost all of the South China Sea," the task force said, urging an immediate withdrawal of the vessels.
Citing intelligence gathered by its own patrols, the task force said 44 vessels were still at Whitsun Reef and about 200 others were spread out around other parts of the Spratly islands, including near China's militarised manmade islands, where four of its navy boats were seen.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said Washington stands by its ally, the Philippines, in the face of China's massing maritime militia at Whitsun Reef.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
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