Asia
Philippines Says 135 Chinese Ships Are ‘Swarming’ Disputed Reef
- Beijing has stepped up its activities in South China Sea
- Filipino leader has increasingly pushed back on Chinese acts
A Philippine Coast Guard encounter a China Coast Guard ship in the disputed South China Sea, on Nov. 10.
Photographer: Lisa Marie David/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Philippines’ coast guard on Sunday said it monitored more than 135 Chinese “maritime militia” vessels “swarming” around the disputed Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año ordered the coast guard to conduct a maritime patrol to challenge and document what he called the “illegal presence” of the Chinese vessels in the area, known in the Philippines as the Julian Felipe Reef.