Anger as gunboat stops fishermen seeking shelter
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
April 12, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA has lodged representations with the Philippine authorities over the harassment of its fishermen by the Philippine Navy in a lagoon on China's Huangyan Island in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said that 12 fishing boats were moving into the lagoon to take shelter due to harsh weather conditions on Sunday when a Philippine Navy gunboat blocked the entrance to the lagoon. The BRP Gregorio del Pilar, recently acquired from the United States, is the Philippine Navy's largest warship.
On Tuesday, 12 Filipino troops from the warship, six of who were armed, boarded the fishing vessels and harassed the Chinese fishermen, the embassy said.
Two Chinese marine surveillance ships, which were on routine patrol in the area, were immediately sent to the site to protect the fishermen and their boats, according to a statement released yesterday by the State Oceanic Administration.
The Chinese ships told the gunboat by radio that it had intruded into Chinese territory and ordered it to leave.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said yesterday that the "so-called law-enforcement action" in waters around Huangyan Island was an infringement of China's sovereignty and violated bilateral consensus on maintaining the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
He called for the Philippines to avoid actions that could complicate and aggravate the situation.
He said the relevant Chinese department had dispatched official ships to Huangyan Island, and the Chinese vessels and fishermen were safe.
Liu reiterated that Huangyan Island is an integral part of Chinese territory and China has indisputable sovereignty over the island.
"We urge the Philippine side to proceed based on our bilateral friendship as well as the peace and stability of the South China Sea," he said. "We call on them to stop making new troubles, and work with China to create good conditions for the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties."
According to the oceanic administration, all the Chinese fishermen were from the southern province of Hainan, and were safe and in good spirits.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said that 12 fishing boats were moving into the lagoon to take shelter due to harsh weather conditions on Sunday when a Philippine Navy gunboat blocked the entrance to the lagoon. The BRP Gregorio del Pilar, recently acquired from the United States, is the Philippine Navy's largest warship.
On Tuesday, 12 Filipino troops from the warship, six of who were armed, boarded the fishing vessels and harassed the Chinese fishermen, the embassy said.
Two Chinese marine surveillance ships, which were on routine patrol in the area, were immediately sent to the site to protect the fishermen and their boats, according to a statement released yesterday by the State Oceanic Administration.
The Chinese ships told the gunboat by radio that it had intruded into Chinese territory and ordered it to leave.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said yesterday that the "so-called law-enforcement action" in waters around Huangyan Island was an infringement of China's sovereignty and violated bilateral consensus on maintaining the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
He called for the Philippines to avoid actions that could complicate and aggravate the situation.
He said the relevant Chinese department had dispatched official ships to Huangyan Island, and the Chinese vessels and fishermen were safe.
Liu reiterated that Huangyan Island is an integral part of Chinese territory and China has indisputable sovereignty over the island.
"We urge the Philippine side to proceed based on our bilateral friendship as well as the peace and stability of the South China Sea," he said. "We call on them to stop making new troubles, and work with China to create good conditions for the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties."
According to the oceanic administration, all the Chinese fishermen were from the southern province of Hainan, and were safe and in good spirits.
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