Scarborough shoal (Source: Telegraph) Hanoi (VNA) - The Philippines plans to make astrong protest against China’s preparatory work for an environment monitoringstation on the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the East Sea, Justice MinisterVitaliano Aguirre said on March 21.
The Philippines would file a complaint against the planChina has just announced, Minister Aguirre told press in Manila.
The Philippines would take necessary action to defendand protect the country's sovereignty and entitlements in the disputed maritimeborders, Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.
"President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly assertedthat the Philippines is not giving up its claims and entitlements over the area,"he reiterated.
When asked on March 19 for his response to the report ofa radar station to be built at the Scarborough Shoal, Duterte said: "Wecannot stop China."
Until late last year China had two to three coastguardships guarding the shoal and stopping Filipinos from tapping their vast traditionalfishing ground.
In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that Beijing violated Manila'sentitlements and no country has sole rights to fish there, Reuters reported.
In 2012, China seized the Scarborough Shoal, which is120 nautical miles from the nearest coast of the Philippines’ main island ofLuzon and stopped Filipino fishermen to approach the rich waters. Then Filipinoswere allowed to return to fish at the shoal after Philippine President Duterte visitedChina in October 2016, called for a new era of ties. - VNA
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