Philippines protests four-month South China Sea fishing banFilipino fisherman drying squid on their fishing boat while a Chinese coast guard ship monitors near the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal, in disputed waters of the South China Sea. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has protested China’s unilateral imposition of a four-month fishing ban in the South China Sea, which includes waters the country claims as its own, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday. It also urged Beijing to comply with its obligations under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and adhere to its commitments under the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. Last week, Marcos called China’s directive to detain foreigners entering disputed areas in the South China Sea “completely unacceptable to the Philippines.” The Philippine Coast Guard dismissed the move as an “empty threat” to deter civilian missions. China asserts sweeping claims over the South China Sea, brushing off rival claims by the Philippines and other countries, and dismissing an international ruling rejecting its territorial basis.

Source: Philippine Star May 27, 2024 22:01 UTC