Some of the more than 200 Chinese vessels reported by the Philippine Coast Guard, and believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, are pictured at Whitsun Reef, South China Sea, March 7, 2021. Picture taken March 7, 2021. Philippine Coast Guard/National Task Force-West Philippine Sea/Handout via REUTERS.
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday ordered the filing of a diplomatic protest over the swarming of 240 Chinese militia vessels found in various parts of the West Philippine Sea.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-蜜桃工作室) reported late Tuesday that around 240 are still inside the country鈥檚 territorial waters.
While Locsin has yet to receive this report from the task force himself, he directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), over Twitter, to 鈥渇ire鈥� a protest.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 heard anything from the f*cking NTF-蜜桃工作室 but I鈥檒l take ABS-CBN News鈥檚 word for it. Changing my policy of acting only on NTF requests. @DFAPHL FIRE A DIPLOMATIC PROTEST NOW,鈥� Manila鈥檚 top diplomat said, reacting to a news report about the Chinese vessels.
I haven鈥檛 heard anything from the fucking NTF-蜜桃工作室 but I鈥檒l take ABS-CBN News鈥檚 word for it. Changing my policy of acting only on NTF requests. FIRE A DIPLOMATIC PROTEST NOW.
鈥� Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin)
The DFA already summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to express 鈥渦tmost displeasure鈥� over the 鈥渋llegal鈥� and lingering presence of Chinese vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippines Sea.
In summoning the Chinese envoy, the Philippines side reiterated its 鈥渇irm demand鈥� for China to ensure the 鈥渋mmediate departure of all its vessels from the area of Julian Felipe Reef and other maritime zones of the Philippines.鈥�