The Philippines rejected
China's unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea,
as tensions continued to roil in the disputed waterway.
In a
statement on Monday, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said China
unilaterally informed the Philippines of its imposition of a fishing ban that
would last till Sept. 16, and that Manila has lodged a protest.
"Through
a diplomatic note," the statement says, "the Philippines protested
the ban insofar as it includes the Philippines maritime zones over which the
Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction."
China's
fishing ban will cover "areas of the South China Sea north of the 12
degrees North latitude," according to the department.
"The
Philippines stressed that the unilateral imposition of the fishing moratorium
raises tensions in the West Philippine and South China seas. It directly
contravenes the understanding between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and
Chinese President Xi Jinping to manage differences through diplomacy and
dialogue and to de-escalate the situation at sea," the foreign affairs
statement says.
Relations
between Manila and Beijing have been deteriorating due to disputes in the South
China Sea.
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