It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk," the Philippines coast guard said in a statement.
“Our country strongly opposes any conduct that heightens tension in the South China Sea,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a regular press conference.
The South China Sea is a rich fishing ground that is believed to hold vast oil and gas reserves.
China’s claims - which include sovereignty over plots of land and their adjacent waters - have angered not just the Philippines but also Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
Beijing seized the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel further for smaller catches.
President Marcos Jr restored security ties with the US and in early 2023 granted American troops wider access to Philippine military bases.
The original article contains 451 words, the summary contains 135 words. Saved 70%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!