DFA stands firm on China's use of military-grade laser against Philippine Coast Guard crew

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to express the country’s concern regarding the recent incident between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The President summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian this afternoon to express his serious concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen in their bancas, the latest of which was the deployment of a military grade laser against our Coast Guard vessels. (Malacanang Palace) Credit: Presidential Communications Office, Malacanang

Key Points

• The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) insists that the Chinese Coast Guard fired military-grade laser to the Philippine Coast Guard in Ayungin Shoal, South China Sea. China says it did not.
• The DFA maintains that Ayungin Shoal is under the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone as it is located 100 nautical miles from the nearest island in Palawan as was ratified by the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal.
• The Philippines has filed a new diplomatic protest against China.

In other news, efforts are now focused on assessing the country’s preparedness for the “the big one” or 7.2 magnitude earthquake that could possibly hit Metro Manila should there by any the movement from the West Valley Fault.

 

The remains of Wilma Tezcan, one of the two Filipina casualties in the recent earthquake in Turkiye has arrived in the Philippines and was brought to Lucena City, Quezon Province.