Philippines Condemns China's Deployment of Massive Coast Guard Ship in Disputed Waters
Manila files protest over the presence of China's largest coast guard vessel near Scarborough Shoal, calling it an illegal and provocative escalation.
- The Philippines has lodged a formal protest against China's deployment of the 165-meter-long coast guard vessel, referred to as a 'monster ship,' in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
- The ship was spotted approximately 143 kilometers off Zambales province, near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a resource-rich area claimed by both nations.
- Philippine officials have accused China of using the vessel to intimidate Filipino fishermen and normalize its presence in disputed waters, calling the actions illegal and unacceptable.
- China's foreign ministry defended its patrols in the area, asserting they are lawful and conducted within Chinese territorial waters, which Beijing claims include Scarborough Shoal.
- Tensions in the South China Sea have intensified, with overlapping territorial claims involving China and multiple Southeast Asian nations, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidating China's expansive claims.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation 
Newsweek 
CNA 
The Independent 
Associated Press 
Al Jazeera 
South China Morning Post 
