China Trouble with China: Philippines govt to protect its fishermen by deploying more naval forces
Manila: The Philippines government will beef up its naval presence in the South China Sea to protect its fishermen, officials said recently.
The official made the remark amid concerns growing about the operations of China's coastguard in disputed waters.
The move comes after the Philippines protested a new law in China that allows its coastguard to board or open fire on foreign vessels in waters it regards as its territory, which officials said could heighten risks of a miscalculation, Bangkok Post reported.
"We will increase our visibility through the deployment of more naval assets, but I just want to make clear our navy presence there is not (to) wage war against China but to secure our own people," Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana said in a media briefing as quoted by the newspaper.
"That pronouncement by China that their coastguard can open fire at people intruding into their territory is very alarming," Sobejana said.
"It's a very irresponsible statement because our people are not going to the disputed area to go to war but to earn a living," the official said.
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