The Philippine Coast Guard has stepped up its presence in the disputed South China Sea by deploying additional vessels and conducting more sorties and overflights to protect maritime territory and the country's fishermen, its chief said on Monday.
China's embassy in Manila did not respond when asked for comment about the incident at the time. China claims the reef as its territory.
"At a moment's notice, the coast guard vessels we will be there because they are exclusively and primarily dedicated for that purpose," said Abu.Beijing claims much of the South China Sea, where about $3 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually, with the area becoming a flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tensions around naval operations.
Since 2002, the Philippines has filed 200 diplomatic notes and protests against China's actions in the South China Sea.Xi Jinping and the leaders reaffirmed that their countries would respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.to Philippine military bases, as Washington seeks to extend its security options as part of efforts to deter what it perceives as China's aggressive policies in the region.
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