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.