Philippines protests Chinese "intrusion"

Philippines protests Chinese "intrusion"

MANILA (AP): The Philippines protested on Friday the presence of Chinese fishermen last week in a shoal in the South China Sea claimed by both countries.

Philippine foreign secretary Domingo Siazon expressed the protest in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Fu Ying. The Philippine military said a navy transport ship spotted six Chinese boats near Scarborough Shoal on Jan. 6.

Three of the boats sped away but three others sought refuge in the shoal's shallow waters, it said.

The navy ship could not enter the shoal but launched soldiers in rubber boats to intercept the three boats. The ship, however, later left after the soldiers were unable to convince the Chinese to leave.

The military said the Chinese boats were loaded with coral.