FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano on Wednesday shrugged off the presence of Chinese ships near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea. He said the government will not likely file any diplomatic protest against China, saying the DFA is in constant communication with Chinese counterparts. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said that the department has yet to receive official reports from concerned security agencies about the Chinese ships. “This deference is key to the new normal in Philippine-China relations or handling of the South China Sea disputes,” Batongbacal said. Since taking power last year, President Rodrigo Duterte has sought closer investment and trade links with Beijing, including over resources in the South China Sea.

Source: The Standard August 16, 2017 15:56 UTC