Philippines lodges protest with China over South China Sea incident

Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro has lodged a strong protest with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi over ‘unacceptable actions’ in the disputed South China Sea. ‘I met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting for an open discussion on Philippines-China relations. I reiterated our strong protest over the unacceptable actions against Filipino personnel near Ayungin Shoal,’ Lazaro wrote on X on Wednesday. Lazaro added that both sides also discussed the importance of keeping communication channels open and finding ways to resolve disputes. On Monday, the Philippine military accused China of aggression in the South China Sea, alleging that Chinese Coast Guard members struck a Philippine Navy member with a wooden baton, causing physical injury. The Chinese Coast Guard responded by accusing the Philippines of deliberate provocation and distorting the facts, stating that a Philippine vessel had intentionally rammed a Chinese patrol ship and that personnel on board had attacked Chinese Coast Guard officers with oars and long poles. The incident has further exacerbated years-long tensions between China and the Philippines, as Beijing is engaged in territorial disputes with several Asia-Pacific nations over islands in the South China Sea. China, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and the Philippines are involved in disputes over the strategic waters believed to hold significant hydrocarbon reserves.