Hundreds Of Chinese Ships Are Lurking Near A Philippine Island In The South China Sea

Thitu (Pag-asa in Tagalog), in the Spratly Islands

Business Insider: The Philippines says hundreds of Chinese ships have been lurking near an island it occupies in the disputed South China Sea

* The Philippines has officially protested the presence of hundreds of Chinese ships around a island in the South China Sea.
* The vessels have been detected around Philippines-occupied Thitu Island, aka Pag-asa, since January.
* The Philippines considers the vessels to be maritime militia, though China says they're fishing boats.

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest over the presence of more than 200 Chinese boats near an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea, the president's spokesman said on Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte has pursued warmer ties with China since taking office in 2016 in exchange for billions of dollars of pledged loans and investment.

The Department of Foreign Affairs protested against the vessels near the Philippines-occupied Thitu island, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told a regular news conference, without describing the boats.

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Update: Philippines Alarmed by Roughly 200 Chinese Ships Near Disputed Island (Bloomberg).

WNU editor: This swarming of Chines ships around this Philippine island follows this incursion into Taiwanese space over the weekend .... For The First Time Since 2011 Chinese Jets And Warships Have Crossed The Median Line In The Taiwan Strait.