Philippines lodges diplomatic protest against China over floating structure in South China Sea

The Philippines’ foreign ministry has taken “appropriate” diplomatic action against China over the “illegal presence” of a floating structure in a disputed atoll, the country’s South China Sea task force said on Tuesday.

The task force confirmed the presence of a floating structure measuring 6 by 6 metres, with what appeared to be an antenna, in the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

“The Philippine government will continue to take appropriate actions consistent with international law and in defence of the country’s national interests,” it said in a statement, adding that the protection of Manila’s sovereignty and jurisdiction “remains a paramount consideration.”

The structure, initially spotted at the entrance to the shoal and later inside its lagoon, appeared to be manned, the task force said, citing the latest images from the armed forces.

The task force did not say when the images were taken, but Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 30 that he had received raw information indicating the presence of the structure on the shoal.

The task force said it is closely monitoring developments and assessing the nature, purpose and potential implications of the installation, insisting that Scarborough “is part of the Philippines and within its maritime zones as recognised by international law.”